


Believe Me Darling, the Stars Were Made for Falling

by VagueVariable



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Friends, I promise this will have a happy ending, I'll add warnings as the fic continues!, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Minor Character Death, Minor descriptions of injuries, Not Canon Compliant, Pre-Calamity (Legend of Zelda), Trans Link (Legend of Zelda), everyone gets little a character study as a treat, for everyone, gender feelings, mipha/zelda (background ship), this started as a purely revalink idea and now its character exploration, will be post-calamity in future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 28,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagueVariable/pseuds/VagueVariable
Summary: A eventual Revali/Link fic In which a trans Link grows up outside the Rito Village before he comes out as Link. Title nabbed from Dream Sweet in Sea Major by Miracle Musical.(No transphobia in this fic; any internal conflict that surrounds gender stuff isn't rooted in anything like that. I'm a trans writer and I don't want that here, gamers! I do also promise that this has a happy ending!)Pretty much nothing is canon-compliant, especially with Pre-Calamity stuff. The fic changes perspective on some chapter changes; chapters are titled based on who is narrating (third-person limited).
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 51
Kudos: 172





	1. Link

**Author's Note:**

> Link is born as Arryl, and will use she/her pronouns until later chapters. (Yes, I've just nicked names from other Zelda games I am not original)

Arryl loves her home, situated just outside the base of the Rito Village. She can visit as often as she wants, enjoying the food that smells great and tastes even better. Many Rito have had the two Hylians over for dinner. Rusl may be gruff and stern during training, but Arryl loves her father – he’s kind-hearted and soft-spoken, a truly caring man. She’s always looked up to him and his achievements as a knight.

Besides her combat training, Rusl teaches her how to cook, tells her stories of her mother, and shows her the beauty of nature around her. There are edible plants everywhere, if you know how to look. Responsibly hunting, building fires, being able to live on your own if you need to has always been an important skill he emphasizes. She thinks it’s because he’s worried of leaving her alone so frequently, but she doesn’t mind because foraging is one of her favorite parts of the week.

Her least favorite part of the week is training day. Which is today.

Arryl takes a deep breath, taking the fresh air of the expansive Tabantha plains. Her boots crunch softly on the grass as she spreads her feet to steady herself, holding out the chipped wooden sword. Another day of training, passing by as always. The songs of the Rito chirp out, far above the roof of the old cabin she and her father live in, calming her and sharpening her focus. Arryl’s eyes narrow at the wooden dummy in front of her as she begins to swing, honing her abilities.

The sharp crack of wood sounds out with every swing, until a louder _“SNAP!”_ stops the action. Arryl looks down at her now splintered sword and its remains across the small training area outside their stable.

“Another broken sword?” Rusl, Arryl’s father and knight of Hyrule, steps forward as Arryl turns to him in response. “Perhaps the wooden ones are becoming too weak for you.” The tall blond man makes some minor corrections to her form before reaching for a lightweight metal blade, dulled for training.

“Now, you must be more careful with this, yes?” Arryl nods in response to her father’s stern words. Never swing a sword at anyone or anything you don’t want to hurt. Well, Arryl doesn’t want to hurt anything. But she wants to follow in her father’s footsteps: top knight of the Hylian guard. So, she wordlessly practices.

Despite her silent worries, the sword feels _right_ in her hands. Like it belongs. She catches a glimpse of herself in its blade. Blue, focused eyes. Blonde hair, pulled into a neat braid, nowhere for her big pointy ears to hide. The shadow of a Rito passes by overhead and startles her out of her staring.

“Arryl, you may continue,” her father sits down on an old stump nearby to monitor her form.

“Yessir.” The sword, almost too big in her small hands, glides effortlessly through the air and hits its mark. The dummy, with a great new gash in its wooden form, teeters over slightly just before Arryl whacks it in the opposite direction.

She continues like this for some time, only noticing how long its been when her father calls out in the golden light of the sun setting, “Rili’s invited us for dinner. Clean yourself up, we don’t want to be late.”

Arryl nearly leaps out of excitement, but composes herself. She’s been waiting to see Maizli and her mother, Rili, all day. She’s still an excitable kid after all. Her boots thud on the ground as she makes her way to the well to clean herself off. Rusl laughs softly as she passes him, putting on his worn coat and brushing the dust off. He hands her a towel to dry herself off and a change of clean clothes, and they head up the wooden decks of the village.


	2. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young Arryl and her Rito friend Maizli play their instruments in the heights of the village as a brief respite.

A few days later, Rusl leaves for the castle to fulfil some of his guard duties. He’ll be away for a week, maybe two. Arryl can’t come along so she, at barely 9 years old, has learned to care for herself. It is days like these, however, that she loves to spend entirely in the village. Sprawling mountains split the clouds, storms drift in the distance and threaten to block the noonday sun, dragonflies buzz by happily, and the chittering of wild birds drift on the gentle breeze.

Entranced by the beauties of the landscape around her, Arryl is surprised when a small pink Rito hops up behind her, wrapping their arms around her shoulders.

“Arryl! Arryl, are you training today? Can you come play?” Arryl’s friend Maizli says, rocking excitedly on her talons.

“My dad’s at the castle, so… No training!” Arryl smiles as she speaks, not expecting to see Maizli up and about this soon after lunch. The Rito girl may be easily excited and overbearing with her affections, but Arryl loves her just the same. Even when she’s being tugged up the wooden stairs of the village.

“So let’s go! What are you waiting for! Did you bring your flute?!” Maizli doesn’t stop to check, because she knows that…

“I never forget it,” Arryl says, fumbling a small ocarina out of a pouch at her hip.

Soon enough, clumsy music shrills through the serene atmosphere of the village as the two children attempt to carry a tune. The only breaks are when they start laughing – music is a pure joy for the both of them. One of the positives for Rusl leaving to work is that Arryl can spend her time playing music, not training.

While the music doesn’t bother most Rito in the village, it _does_ bother one in particular. Revali, who is unfortunately nearby. Unfortunate for who? Hard to say.

“Hmph. Some people are trying to _focus_ here,” Revali says with a glare, looking over his shoulder. He sets down a book he was jotting notes in so he can cross his dark blue feathered arms. The fact that he chooses to focus exclusively on Arryl doesn’t pass her notice.

Everything Arryl does bothers him. He’s overconfident, arrogant, and quick to belittle anyone around him. He’s only a _year_ older than her, but his archery skills make him act like he’s the most important person around. She wants to be able to show him that just because people aren’t as skilled as her is, doesn’t mean they’re worth less. Unfortunately, she has no idea how to do that.

“A lot of people can focus with music playing,” Arryl says.

“Bold of you to call that atrocious noise ‘music’.” Revali huffs and rolls his eyes, and Arryl can only snort at the overdramatic reaction. “There are so many places for you to create that ruckus, yet you both choose right outside my house.”

Maizli pouts at Revali, puffing up her feathers a little. “Arryl hasn’t been free for weeks! Can’t you just give us a bit? Please? This place looks the prettiest.” Arryl tries to stifle a grin at Maizli’s attempt at garnering pity, and has to hide her face behind her ocarina.

It’s silent for a few moments as Revali glares. Eventually, he lifts a wing dismissively and sighing, “I suppose, Don’t expect any more kindness from me.”

Maizli giggles happily, “Thank youuu!” and Arryl simply signs her thanks in his direction. She doesn’t want to boost his ego with a show of gratitude. She just wants to practice, uninterrupted. So what if she’s a little rusty.


	3. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are changing in Hyrule as rumors of Calamity Ganon spread.

Arryl pretends to sleep in her bed as her father talks with some other knights outside; their voices are hushed, but the quiet of the night does nothing to mask their conversation.

“…we need more soldiers. An ancient evil is supposed to return during our lives. The King is demanding more patrols and more training.”

Rusl sighs, and Arryl can see his shadow shift through her vantage point out of her covers. “It’s because of all the monster sightings, right?”

“Yessir. You and your daughter can always move to Castle Town—”

Rusl interrupts, “No, no. I’ll… I’ll just make the trip more frequently.”

Arryl feels as though a weight is pushing down on her chest. Her father is skilled, but what if he gets hurt? Or… killed?

She makes a silent promise to herself that she’ll keep training, always. No more time for fun and games. She has to train to protect people now, not _just_ to be a knight like her father. She’s almost eleven, practically an adult. Time to be serious.

She doesn’t sleep much that night, worried about the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of the pre-calamity stuff typed out already, but i'm posting it slow because i do not trust myself to keep this regular and i am so sorry  
> chapters will probably be once daily but short! this one is a LOT shorter than most so I'll post another alongside it


	4. Revali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An annoying Hylian interrupts Revali's daily training.

Three arrows hit their targets simultaneously with a great deal of force, and Revali grins with satisfaction. Of course, he can get a bullseye on any target he shoots at, but _now!_ Multiple targets at once. What else would you expect from a brilliant, hardworking archer such at the Great Revali?

The archery range is pathetic in its current state. Old wooden crates along the stone edge of the snowy crater hold bows and arrows of all shapes and sizes. A broom leans against that, so snow can be brushed away easily. _‘I’ll have a new range built for you soon!’_ the elder said. Hopefully, he delivers on that promise; Revali is the best archer in the village and he deserves _something_ for his hard work. Recognition.

Someone picks up a bow behind him, and he turns around, surprised at the sudden sound. When he sees Arryl, that little annoying Hylian, he has to suppress an annoyed groan. Maybe she’ll leave if he just…

“You know, those are probably way too big for you,” he snaps, hoping to scare her off. Just let him practice alone for Hylia’s sake. Those bows are built for the Rito, not tiny Hylians. She looks so small.

To his dismay, Arryl tucks the bow under her arm and tilts her head, “I’ve used these before. Thank you though, for being so concerned.” Her sarcasm is so thick Revali could grasp it out of the air. No matter how much Arryl tries to hide herself lately, her personality stays the same. Annoying.

Not that he’s noticed any changes in her lately, definitely not.

“I just don’t want you to break the bows,” he huffs before going back to shooting. Whatever, he can show off his skills to the obviously inferior Hylian—

_THWIP! THWAP! THWIPTHWIPTHWIP!_

Ugh. What a waste of arrows. She only managed to hit the target once. Not even taking the time to re-center and make corrections! Revali stands dumbfounded as her nose scrunches up in frustration and she grabs another arrow, readying it to fire.

Revali side-eyes her _very_ inconspicuously before sighing dramatically and stepping closer to her with a flourish of feathers. “You’re not even standing properly. Who taught you to shoot?”

Arryl furrows her brow in confusion, but he ignores it and continues, “Look, you have to stand like _this_.” He turns, orienting his body to the correct position for shooting, then looks to Arryl expectantly.

She stands there silently, staring, and he groans. “Well? Don’t just stand there gawking at me!” He clicks his beak impatiently. You’d think she’d at least respond or be so incredibly thankful he’s even bothering to bestow his expertise upon her feeble little mind.

Arryl nods quickly and moves to adjust her posture. Were her cheeks that red a minute ago? Whatever, it’s nothing of note. It’s cold! Hylians get red when they’re cold—

_THUNK!_

Arryl smiles softly. A bullseye.

“Beginner’s luck.” Revali scoffs dismissively and tries not to stomp back like a child as he goes back to his own practice. On the other side of the range. Away from Arryl. Beginners can shoot bullseyes, but only experts can be _consistent_.

Arryl raises her eyebrow with a little smirk, but he hears her call out a quiet “thank you” as he walks away. He pretends to not have heard her and focuses on his own shots instead. Sort of. If he occasionally glances over to see what Arryl’s doing, who’s going to notice? He’s just making sure she isn’t breaking the bows. That’s all.


	5. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl takes a fall while training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for this chapter: injury, blood (minor), falling from a high place

Blood drips onto the ground. Not a lot, though. Well. No, that’s a lot. Arryl blinks back tears, she’s hurt herself worse than she ever has before. Rain soaks her through, stinging in the scrapes on her skin and mixing with the blood falling from the deep gash in her arm.

_Don’t be so careless, pay attention to your surroundings,_ her father would say. If her was here. She should’ve seen the clouds rolling in and avoided her climbing practice. But she didn’t, of course. Always making time for training. She’ll be fine, just has to make it back home. No, no, to the village where someone can help her. Her father still isn’t home.

“Okay, I can… this is fine… just…” Arryl talks to herself, keeping her wits about her. She tries to rip apart her shirt fabric with both hands but groans in pain; that’s not happening. Not unless she wants to make that worse. She grips her arm tight and shakily stands up. Her chest rises slowly, taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves. The thunder screaming out above her doesn’t help any.

As she makes her way to the village, step by step, her vision grows fuzzier. Her peripheral vision fades first. Only able to focus ahead of her. She tries not to think of how if she had hurt her leg too, her chances of making it back would be… nonexistent. Instead, she focuses on what she’s learned: the rain is too hard to climb in. She’ll be more careful next time. Each failure brings her closer to success.

The village is closer, now. The stable is closer. Its silhouette flickers in Arryl’s fading vision. The last thing she remembers before falling over is a very alarmed, young blue Rito rushing in her direction.

\--

“-ey. Hey.”

Arryl blinks slowly, taking in her surroundings. Wooden structure, no windows, blue skies, and she’s laying in a hammock. A Rito home.

“ _Hey._ Arryl.”

It takes a lot of strength for her to turn her head in the direction of the voice. A Rito woman with deep red feathers smiles at her before speaking again. Maizli’s mother, Rili.

“Good, you _are_ awake.” Her voice, kind and soothing, has just a hint of anger. “I don’t know what happened to you, dear, but you’re all patched up now. Your father still isn’t home, I checked.” Arryl bites her lip, of course Rili is going to tell her dad when he’s back from Castle Town.

Wait, patched up? Oh, her arm!

She turns her right arm over and looks at it. A deep red scar extends down the length of her forearm and onto her palm where it fades. Sore, but healed. Probably a potion…or a fairy, though she’s only ever heard of them.

“I fell,” she traces her finger over the scar absentmindedly, “but it won’t happen again.”

“I’m certain it will! There are plenty of places for you to climb _near the village!_ Where someone can help you! My, if Revali hadn’t found you—” Rili gasps and covers her beak with her hand, like she wasn’t supposed to say what she had.

“Revali…?”

“I promised I wouldn’t say! Oh, secrets are so hard. Just, ah, I’ll walk you home. Forget what I said.” Rili’s feathers bristle up and she offers a wing of assistance.

“Arryl!” Maizli cries out from the doorway as she sprints in for a hug before Arryl can even sit up. “I was so worried! Don’t you dare ever do that again! Or at least bring me!”

Arryl hugs her back as a pit settles in her stomach, guilty at the fear she’s caused. She’s not going to be more careful; she’s going to get better. She has to try harder. And she will.


	6. Revali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali overhears a conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: mentions of blood, anxiety

“He was supposed to be back two days ago,” A quiet fearful voice comes from further up the path into the village.

Revali freezes in his tracks. Arryl?

“I’m sure he’s okay! Castle Town is far—” Maizli meekly tries to reassure her friend.

“He’s always back on time! He’s never late. Something happened.”

Revali looks around, and when he sees that no one is nearby, stops to listen. What’s he supposed to do? Barge right through? No thank you, not having that conversation. If the pathetic sniffling is any indication, Arryl is crying. He doesn’t like hearing it and he certainly does not want to see it. It’s bad enough he had to see her bleeding out near the stable.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing! What have I been training for?” There’s anger, sadness, and fear all mangled together in Arryl’s voice. Between a few sniffles, Revali hears her the punch the ground with a dull thud.

“Arryl… Stay with my family tonight. You can leave a note for when your dad comes back—ah! Don’t interrupt! He will be coming back and if you do anything stupid so soon, I promise I’ll be super mad!”

Revali almost laughs. Maizli _mad?_ Miss Always Smiley has never been made a day in her life. But… Revali supposes he’d be mad too if his best friend did something reckless and endangered her life. And then did it again next week.

“No, no. If I’m at home I can help my dad if he’s hurt.” Arryl’s voice is muffled as she struggles through her tears. Revali hesitates, thinks about walking up and trying to help, but his talons feel rooted in the ground. He can just leave her to her own problems. He doesn’t even have a family to wait for, he can’t help with this.

“Then I’ll stay with you. If I leave you alone, you’re just gonna go looking for him and then we’re gonna have to go looking for you, dummy.” Maizli is surprisingly chipper, but it seems to help. Arryl laughs in response and… oh no.

Their footsteps are approaching. They’re walking this way. Out of the village, to Arryl’s home. _What do I do? Just… Act natural. Walk back home and pretend you heard nothing._

He takes a small breath to steady himself before raising his head, puffing out his chest, and walking confidently up through the rocky path to the village. Easy.

“Revali?” Uh oh.

“That is my name, _Maizli_.” Practically a master of acting. They’re none the wiser.

“Can you tell my mom I’m staying with Arryl tonight?” Revali glances over at Arryl quickly, and unfortunately meets her eyes. They’re red and puffy. Obvious that she really was crying. She looks away as quickly as Revali does. Unpleasant for the both of them, perhaps.

“I suppose,” Revali flicks his eyes back to Arryl, not long enough to be noticed. She’s pretending to be busy messing with her hair. Usually neat, it’s fallen out of its braid in chunks and strands.

“Oh, thank you!” Maizli gasps in surprise and pulls him into an awkward and tight hug. Well, probably not awkward for her. Definitely awkward for Revali. _And deadly_. Goddess, her grip is stronger than a Goron’s.

“Uh, yeah. Feeling pleasant today.” He removes himself from Maizli’s death grip before she squishes him. He meets Arryl’s gaze again and she smiles softly. Maybe she’ll be okay tonight, then. Not that he cares or anything. Before he can make a bigger embarrassment of himself, he makes a beeline for the stairs up to the village. He’s not going back on his promise of a favor, after all. No matter how annoying Maizli and Arryl might be.

It’s a long night. Trees rustle in the distance and the sounds of nocturnal animals walking constantly stir Revali and stop him from falling asleep. _Is Rusl home yet? Why do I even care?_

He finds himself staring out over towards the cabin. Are those shadows Rusl coming home, or just the nighttime light playing tricks on his eyes? The moon, barely a crescent, makes the landscape nearly impossible to see. Sure, a Rito’s hearing may be superb, but that just means every sound sets him on edge, worried at every little creak and crunch. Not that Revali is _trying_ to keep a look out or anything, he doesn’t care, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you may be wondering. when will we get to link being LINK  
> well, friends. its a while. more revali and link interactions coming soon. we must set the stage.


	7. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl stops by the newly constructed Flight Range.

Fresh snow crunches softly under Arryl’s boots as she makes her way back home. The dulled sound of hooves accompanies her; her horse, Epona, follows obediently at her side. Arryl sets a leisurely pace, a reprieve from their riding practice. She could easily push Epona harder, but that’s no way to bond with an anyone, let alone a kind animal such as him. She runs a hand through his snow-white mane, fingers catching and lingering on the beads and ribbons intertwined with neat braids. Much tidier than Arryl’s hair has been lately.

A brief thought of cutting her hair passes through her mind. It’s long now, down most of her back. It’s hard to take care of now and falls in her face, even in quiet moments like this. It also feels feminine… which… Arryl doesn’t know if that fits now. She ignores the thought for the moment and instead combs her fingers through Epona’s white mane. Snow speckles his chestnut fur, melting almost instantly upon contact with his warm body. Arryl absentmindedly adjusts the patterned blanket on his back.

Her and Epona’s path home leads past the new Flight Range. Revali isn’t exactly welcoming, so she hasn’t stopped by to look. But maybe she will today. She can deal with a little Rito rage. A smile spreads across her face as she imagines his sarcastic comments. They don’t bother her as much anymore.

A thud and a pained groan sounds out from inside the range nearby. Arryl instinctively hops onto Epona and rides full speed to the rocky entrance of the range. Revali sits, hunched over in the snow, bruised and breathing heavily.

“Arryl? Get out! Go away!” He weakly waves a wing at her and slumps back onto his knees. The only thing Arryl understands right now is that she doesn’t like seeing Revali like this. Feathers rustled, wounded, weak… But he doesn’t look like he was fighting anyone. No one else is here, and he doesn’t have his bow in his hands.

Arryl moves to step off of Epona’s back, “What are—”

“I said, go _away!”_ Revali sounds angry and embarrassed, and tears begin to glisten in his eyes, though Arryl would deny having seen it. She wants to help, though. Ice blue eyes quickly scan the range. No immediate threats make themselves clear; no blood and no head wounds seem evident either. So Arryl nods quickly and rides out of the range, not wanting to see Revali cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought i was going to get to post-calamity stuff waaaaay sooner than it turns out i actually am. i have no idea what the word/chapter count will be at by the time that shit happens LOL  
> the next chapter has more revali / link interactions though, we're in it now lads


	8. Revali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali begins developing two new skills: his Gale, and how to make a friend.

He has to keep pushing himself, all the way past his limits. Revali _will_ be the first Rito to craft updrafts.

The wind howls around in the enclosure of the range, chilling him to the bone and hyper-focusing his concentration. Small stones dig into Revali’s skin as he kneels down and holds out his wings. Just one, small updraft. This is easy for someone as talented, no, _skilled_ , as he is.

And suddenly, forceful wind picks up around him. _Yes, yes! This is it!_ Revali lifts up his wings, but before he can push himself off the ground, he is caught in the whirlwind and slammed against the rocky cliff face. He just barely misses the range’s newly constructed home. He gasps and groans in pain and tries to lift himself up off the ground. _Pathetic_.

The sound of hooves echoes into the open cavern and Revali whips his head to the entrance, full of fear and embarrassment. Here comes Arryl, charging recklessly in on her new horse. _A beast._

“Arryl? Get out! Go away!” He musters all his remaining strength to wave his wing, trying to get her to just _leave_. But annoyingly, she just stands there. Silent. Of course. She’s going to laugh at him, shame him for how weak he is. Or worse, _go get help._

“What—” Arryl moves to hop off the saddle, and Revali feels his muscles tense in rage.

“I said, go away!” He can feel tears sting his eyes. He will _not_ cry while that Hylian is still here. Never.

Wordlessly, Arryl turns and leaves, much to Revali’s relief. He collapses when she’s gone, able to hold himself up no longer with his aching muscles.

If he rests here, in the hut, for the night, he can simply recover his strength and return to the village as though nothing has happened. As though he has not failed at anything. Then it will be fine. Tomorrow will be better.

The wind naturally picks up; its howling masks Revali’s exhausted breathing and pitiful groans. Talons scrape on the icy rock as he tries to pick himself off the ground. Instead, he feels exhaustion cover him like a heavy blanket, and his eyes unwillingly close as he falls forward onto the icy ground.

\--

A soft glow envelops the hut as Revali opens his eyes. Not the dark, cold environment he was expecting. _Am I dying?_ His muscles ache as he puts all his energy into sitting up and taking a look around. Just as he questions how he got in the hammock, his gaze settles on Arryl, stoking a small cooking fire as she holds a bowl in her lap.

“What are you doing?” Revali’s voice croaks and he is filled with the desire to shrink into nothing. How embarrassing.

“Cooking. I figured you might want something,” Arryl says. Revali wants to be angry, wants to believe that this is fake sincerity. He knows it isn’t. There’s no malice in her eyes or her tone… she’s just like this. And he can’t be angry at that, no matter how bitter he is in the moment.

“Oh, are you trying to poison me?” He raises an eyebrow at her, trying to get enough of a joking tone into his tired voice. Not too friendly, though. Can’t give her any reason to see… weakness. _Is kindness weakness, though?_

Arryl snorts and covers her mouth, careful not to spill her meal. “Yeah, I thought it would be easier to wait and do it when you woke up.” The scent of cooked salmon and peppers wafts over to Revali his mouth begins to water. When did he last eat? And when did he last enjoy a well-cooked meal?

Revali clicks his beak in fake annoyance, “At least take me in a fight. Poison is a coward’s game.” He’d assume he would hate hearing Arryl laugh at something he said, but he finds himself laughing along, eyes shut as he smiles.

A bowl is shoved into his hands while he’s distracted. “And I’m no coward. Eat this so I can beat you up later. Fair fight.” Arryl is smiling at him, but he looks down at the bowl of fish and rice to hide his embarrassment. Hopefully, he doesn’t look too desperate for a good meal. Not that this looks like a good meal – _Oh, who am I kidding?_

Can’t Arryl just be bad at something? Is that even a fair thing to want? No. She works hard. It’s not inherent talent, her skills aren’t inherited. They’re earned. Like Revali.

When Revali begins eating, he can see Arryl hesitate. She bites her lip and tips her bowl around a little before speaking, “You don’t have to answer, I won’t make you… But what happened earlier?”

He looks back down at his bowl, already half empty. Arryl says he can choose not to answer. But he knows she’ll be dissatisfied if he doesn’t. He would be too, though he’d be better at pretending. She leans in, obvious in her wanting an answer. Flakes of snow hang in her messy hair and melt when greeted with the warmth of the fire. The beads of water reflect the orange glow, brightening her face even more, emphasizing her eagerness.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t understand even if I did tell you,” he smiles sarcastically at her as he tries to get some sort of reaction out of her. What kind of reaction? He doesn’t know. While he said it jokingly, with his usual arrogance, he believes it; she wouldn’t understand, not completely.

“Oh? Try me, Revali.” She gently shoves his arm and he can’t stop himself from looking down at her scar. Maybe she would understand. Getting knocked down in your own attempts to better yourself. He meets her gaze again, expecting her to hide her arm, but she just keeps smiling and giving him his space.

Revali sighs dramatically, tucking his small braids back behind his shoulders before puffing up his chest. After a dramatic pause, “Perhaps.” He side-eyes Arryl to see her reaction. Her eyebrows are raised, as though she’s waiting for a sarcastic reply. _Am I too predictable?_

“Let’s see. What the simplest way I can explain this?” His tone is more confident and arrogant than he meant it to be. Unfortunate.

“You don’t have to. It’s fine.” Arryl crosses her legs and pulls her coat closer, hiding her face in her scarf slightly. Revali frowns slightly, guilty at hearing her voice soften and her form shrink in on itself.

“I’m going to master creating updrafts. I’ll be the first Rito to propel myself into the air with my own gust.” He concentrates to make his voice seem level, ignoring the growing guilt in is gut. “It’s going to be difficult, but I will do it. Impossible for others, not for me.” Determination overcomes the guilt, the tension in his gut, as he remembers his goal. His _purpose_.

“Every time you fail, you get stronger. Closer to what you’re aiming for.” Arryl looks up at Revali, her eyes full of the same determination he sees in himself. He stares dumbfounded for a moment, surprised at how easily she understands. “Even if it takes years, decades, you’ll get it.”

“Maybe you do understand,” he allows himself to smile a little at her. Definitely had to force it, wasn’t a natural response at all.

_Caaraack!_

Both teens nearly jump out of their skin as thunder strikes abruptly in the distance, loud and unexpected. Revali stares, mouth agape, as Arryl bursts out laughing.

“What’s so funny?!” He’s the opposite of the picture he’s painted of himself for so long. He wants to trust Arryl with this secret side of him, though. _Wonder why._

“The thunder knows we needed a tone change,” she says. A mischievous grin spreads across her face, lit orange by the dying cooking fire, her wariness completely melted away. “I’ll race you and that storm back to the village.”

“Will you be on or off that beast of yours?” Revali gestures to her horse. Strange creatures. He doesn’t need anyone or anything to carry him around.

“Epona isn’t a _beast!_ He’s a gentle boy!” Arryl shoves him again, harder but still playfully. “You wouldn’t understand the subtleties of our relationship.” She mimics Revali’s belittling tone from before and gives him a little wink; at least she let him know she’s joking. He wishes he granted her that kindness earlier.

“I’m sure I wouldn’t, but I certainly don’t want to. You, however, have not answered my question.”

“Well, of course. I can’t run faster than you can fly—oh, you aren’t too hurt to fly, are you?!” Revali watches a small wave of panic flash across Arryl’s face as she interrupts herself with her own question as the same panic plants itself in Revali’s stomach. Can he even _walk?_

Arryl offers a hand to help him stand, but he tries on his own. Unfortunately, Arryl has to catch him as he stumbles forward.

“Maybe Epona will be gracious enough to let you ride him back. Even though you called him a beast.” Revali elbows her in response as she laughs at him. “Come on, he’s fine.”

“We can race another time. I’ll walk,” he sighs, dreading the possibility of riding on the back of that horse. Standing up is a little shaky and he feels absolutely _pathetic_.

He walks as confidently as he can muster, though his muscles are screaming. Arryl stands close, like she’s waiting for him to fail. For him to need help. _No, that’s not fair. She wants to help. She_ understands.

He shivers in the cold, and it seems like Arryl gets that too, because she pulls off her white knitted scarf and drapes it over his head. The warmth reaches his core, and he instinctively reaches a wing up to feel its soft fabric. “I don’t need—”

“It’s a _gift_. Keep it.” Arryl smiles at him and pulls her coat close. Oversized, stuffed with Rito feathers. A little worn… but it matches her. Goddess, Hylians are just so small. And annoyingly endearing.

It’s a long journey back, but they make it ahead of the storm. The silhouette of the village grows larger, and Arryl stops as they reach her home.

“Is your father home…?” He doesn’t want to pry, and regrets asking when he sees Arryl stiffen a little.

“No. Said he might be a while.” She’s quiet, worried. Revali doesn’t know what to do. The cabin looks… as sad as she does. Empty, dark, unwelcoming. Like his house after… his parents left. He goes to reach out for her, to try to help. But, _how_ would he? He’s not exactly… warm.

Arryl avoids looking at him and she kicks a few rocks that scatter down the path with pathetic pitters. “You should get some sleep, Revali. I… have to take care of Epona.” She pets her horse absentmindedly as he whinnies.

“If you need anything,” Revali hesitates, choosing words he won’t regret, “you can find me at the Flight Range.” She raises her eyebrows a little in response. “Yes, yes, I graciously grant you permission to practice there.”

Arryl pulls her hair behind her ears and gives him a little smile and a chuckle, “You can’t take it back now!”

“Oh, I most certainly can. I choose not to, for the moment.” He flashes a brief yet genuine smile before walking back up to the village. The trek up hurts but renewed enthusiasm carries him to the top, to his home. He falls asleep with his new scarf on, feeling happy despite the failure of a day.


	9. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl and Revali start training at the Flight Range together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for. existential crisis about your future

Arryl starts spending more days down at the Flight Range, watching Revali work at perfecting what he’s begun to call “Revali’s Gale.” Yeah, it’s a little arrogant, but fitting. She desires his confidence. Her doubt plagues her downtime and her dreams.

Arryl digs through the small collection of weapons that she’s brought to the range to practice. All in various states of wear and tear, some completely untouched. Boomerangs, claymores, longswords, clubs, hammers, axes… and, ah, the spear she was looking for. Confidently, Arryl twirls the wooden spear in her rough palms to get a feel for it. Its tip scrapes on the rock at her feet and falls to the ground with a noisy clatter.

Revali shoots her a quick glance from across the range. A pang of embarrassment warms her face, but it quickly dissipates. He’s checking in on her – he’d never admit it. No judgement lies in his eyes. She grips the spear tighter this time and gives him a thumbs-up. The spears are just longer than the short swords she’s used to is all. Practice.

The quiet sound of a bow being drawn preludes a snap, and the _THUNK_ of an arrow hitting into a distant target. His Gale is his main focus, but he doesn’t want to neglect his other skills. The wind picks up and goosebumps appear on Arryl’s skin as she shivers slightly. The metal decals of one of her bows reflect the sun into her eyes and captures her attention. It’s untouched, her focus has been with her other weapons… but she _could_ practice with it today.

The soft feathers of her gloves shift under the outer fabric as Arryl adjusts them, getting a better grip on the new bow. The worn leather creaks under her grasp while she sets aside the wooden spear.

“Have I inspired you?” Revali calls out, unmistakably smug. “I could give you some pointers, if you need.” He doesn’t add _“which I’m sure you do”_ like Arryl knows he wants to. She smiles and adjusts her stance.

“How’s this?” She tries to recall the stances she’s learned, and which is the right one for archery. It doesn’t feel natural yet, but it will.

Revali sighs and sets his bow aside, “You’re so close.” Confidently, he walks over, talons clicking on the bare stone. He places both his hands on her shoulders and adjusts her position slightly before taking a step back. “There. A simple mistake.” Arryl notices his hesitation, the slight pause before correcting her posture. It’s probably nothing.

Arryl stays still before quickly drawing back the bow and releasing an arrow. Her eyes close and she breathes deeply, cataloging the feeling in her mind. She won’t forget this time. The tension between her shoulders, the twist of her neck, raised elbow. Right.

The wooden dummy she pierced straight through stands there, waiting. A small smile creeps across her face as she realizes how perfect her aim was. Dead center. Its surface is littered with gashes and chips, what’s one arrow more?

“There are proper targets for a reason!” Revali walks over and yanks the arrow out of the dummy, destroying the ammo in the process. Oops!

“Sorry, you aimed me this way.” Arryl sticks out her tongue and walks over to pick up the splinters of the arrow. Revali elbows her gently and scoffs, “It’s not my fault!”

“Okay, okay,” she holds up her hands in defeat. Strands of blonde hair fall in front of her eyes as she shakes with laughter, amused with how easily Revali gets flustered. He’s not so scary anymore. Even when he’s got his arms all crossed and his feathers bristled, probably over a foot taller than her. He’s really the only person she sees nowadays, what with all her time spent training.

Arryl walks over to the ledge of the range and holds her arms out to catch the wind. “What’s it like, being able to fly?”

“It’s…incredible. Freeing,” his voice gets louder as he follows behind, speaking up to be heard over the gusts of wind erupting from the earth. “Maybe I’ll show you one day.” Arryl’s ears pull back, stunned by the softness of his voice, almost too quiet to hear. Was she even meant to hear that?

She doesn’t dwell on it, and instead watches as he launches himself off the ledge, bow in hand. In a matter of seconds, arrows fly through the air as flashes of blue feathers glide around the open cavern. Elegant and precise. Every hit sounds off a satisfying _THUNK_ in the makeshift arena. Arryl can’t peel her eyes away from the, well, performance. Revali’s showing off, but she doesn’t mind, it’s fun to watch.

These small reprises are few and far between these days. Things are different now, increasingly dangerous. She rarely sees her dad or has time for anything fun outside of training and breaks with Revali. She misses Maizli: those pink feathers, that cheery sing-song voice, and her warm presence. But Maizli doesn’t understand, doesn’t like seeing Arryl push herself like this.

She nor Revali ever expected anything like this to happen between them. Not even acquaintances, but _friends?_ Not in a million years. But like the world, people change.

Arryl sits down and leans back, watching the clouds roll slowly over the bright blue sky. Her breath puffs out in gentle white clouds, mimicking those far above her head. Her coat envelops her like a soft warm hug, Rito down keeping in her body heat like a shield against the chill of the mountains. Soon enough, the noise of arrows and flaps of wings dies down as Revali settles next to her.

“How do you stay so focused?” Arryl asks quietly once she’s sure he’s paying attention in the peace of the moment.

He takes a small breath, “It’s simple. There are things that have never been accomplished. Things within my grasp. I have to be the first to achieve something thought to be impossible. I can’t ignore that call.” Revali’s eyes focus somewhere off in the distance. “What would I even do otherwise?” A twinge of hesitation, fear, sounds out in his voice. Though his answer was immediate, like he’s thought about this before.

Arryl knows that fear. If you’re good at something important, what else are you supposed to do?

She holds a hand up to block the sun from her eyes as it peeks out from behind a cloud. “I never wanted to be a knight. I still don’t think I want to. I can’t stop training, though,” her chest slowly rises and falls as she breathes. “I’m fifteen and could probably take my dad in a fight. He’s supposed to be one of the best. I have to help Hyrule.” Arryl’s voice cracks softly as she tries to keep a level head, avoiding her existential crisis. Revali turns to look at her, expression unclear. She can’t bring herself to look at him.

“I don’t care for all this heart-to-heart nonsense,” he says, matter-of-factly. “But…” he hesitates, sitting up straight. “I know Hyrule will be safer under your protection.” A warmth blooms in Arryl’s chest as Revali’s voice softens.

“Uh, thanks. You too.” Arryl can feel her face grow red as the slight embarrassment sets in.

“Oh, how elegant of you. I hope you don’t make any _speeches_.” He scoffs and stands up but offers a hand to Arryl. The wind blows her hair out behind her as she takes it and rises to her feet.

“You can do all the talking for me—”

“So you can hear the wonderful sound of my voice, yes I understand,” he says, tidying out the wrinkles in his clothing.

“Or maybe so I don’t embarrass myself,” she says, sticking out her tongue and moving to put away her weapons.

They both remain relatively quiet during lunch, the only noise coming from the howling of the wind and ringing of wind chimes. Arryl feels deeply at peace, for the moment. She hopes Revali does, too.


	10. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl has a revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for gender feelings and hiding them

Arryl sits in the branches of the tree outside her home, resting after an extensive climbing session. These are the worst moments when she’s alone with her thoughts. Every day she doubts herself a little more. Every time she gets up, she feels like she’s pretending to be someone she’s not. Nothing is just for fun, now. Every move is calculated, and her time is planned carefully while her father is gone.

Her identity is a disguise. Pretending to be the daughter of a knight, destined to become as great as he is. It’s natural to pretend now, but… how much of it isn’t _real?_ Isn’t what she is or she wants? She’s been working toward this her entire life, and she’s not going to stop after just fifteen years. Her dissatisfaction and doubt feel like it goes beyond that. There’s something nagging at her, tugging at the edges of memories long forgotten.

All of a sudden, an apple falls from the tree’s bright green leaves, hitting Arryl square in the forehead. She gasps, not at the pain, not in surprise, but at the revelation of the answer to the questions she’s been contemplating.

_I’m a boy._

It makes sense. It feels right. Of course he doesn’t feel like himself. He’s not the _girl_ he’s pretending to be.

He can’t bring himself to tell anyone. They’d understand, but they’d treat him differently. This is change he can control, and he can’t bring himself to do it. Everything has to stay the same; he has to pretend he hasn’t had this revelation of identity.

It’s just another disguise. He just knows the extent of it now.

Dried leaves crunch under his boots as he jumps out of the tree and bends down to pick up the apple that knocked the sense into him. He takes a bite as he walks to the stable. It’s time to keep training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> while he's still "arryl", link is referred to with she/her pronouns when other characters are narrating, while his chapters use he/him. i wanted to be genuine with how other characters know him. he becomes link in about 6 or 7 chapters i think? i have a lot pre-written wheheh


	11. Rusl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for mentions of chronic pain

Rusl has been home for a few months now. The longest he’s been home with his child in years. Between travel and service, he barely sees Arryl. It’s not fair to her.

He gazes out the window of the cabin, out at his daughter as she swings her sword with ferocity and grace. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think she was already a knight, just with a baby-face. Most other Hylian children are allowed to live more relaxed lives. He’s tried not to force this on her, but she’s pushed herself to it. He wonders if she really wants this. He remembers the bright-eyed, young girl she used to be, excitable and creative, and his heart hurts.

His sigh pieces the silence of the room. His fingers leave trails through the dust of the windowsill’s cracked wood. Their time here outside the Rito village is limited. His travels to Castle Town are becoming more dangerous, more strenuous. A life in Castle Town would be easier for her, not as solitary. Arryl’s been taking care of herself since she was nearly ten. Her childhood may be gone, but maybe she can experience some of the joys of it, lingering in the bustling city outside the castle.

Rusl is getting older; he can feel it. Gray hairs are more plentiful than they should be, and some of his scars never truly healed right. Potions can only do so much for an aging body. Phantom aches and pains bloom on his body at random; reminders of hard work and near-deadly mistakes. Thick clothes and a high pain tolerance have hidden the aches and scars from him daughter, who still thinks the world of him. He wants to be able to hide this weakness of his from her forever, but it isn’t realistic.

With a grunt, he stands up and exits the cabin. The air here is fresh and crisp; he never gets sick of his. He also never gets sick of the joyful expression on his daughter’s face whenever she sees him. He wraps her up in the tightest hug he can muster, _Goddess, when did she get so tall?_

“I need to tell you something important.” Rusl feels his heart sink as he watches the joy fade from Arryl’s face. She stands at attention, more like a soldier than a child speaking to her father. “After my next trip, we have to move. To Castle Town.”

Arryl’s hair sways when she nods, catching the golden light of the evening sun. “I understand. I can come with you on your trip. We don’t have to wait; it would be easier.” Her tone is more official than that of her elders’.

“No, no.” Rusl puts a gentle hand on her shoulder, “Spend the time here, with your friends. Wish them a proper goodbye but know that we can always come back to visit. This will not be the last time we will be here.” His eyes crinkle as he smiles softly. “Take a break from your training. You are already so skilled. You deserve some time, Arryl. You have your whole life ahead of you to be serious. Be a child now, while you can.”

Arryl’s hands reach up to her braids, tangling them between her fingers nervously. He can sense her hesitation, but she nods anyways. Rusl silently prays to the Goddess, _Let Arryl enjoy the rest of her time here as a child. Please._

When he leaves in the morning, he kisses the top of Arryl’s head softly and can’t help but imagine the wonderful person she’ll grow to be. A few weeks more and they’ll be moving to somewhere they can be more like a family that spends time together.


	12. Link

“What do you mean, you’re moving?!” Maizli looks like she’s fighting back tears as Arryl sits next to her on the desks of the Rito Village, swinging her feet softly. Arryl opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted, “When?! I’ve barely seen you the last few months!”

Arryl tilts his head and raises his eyebrows, waiting for Maizli to let him speak.

“Sorry, sorry. Just, nervous.” Maizli scratches the back of her neck and ducks her head sheepishly.

“In a few weeks. When my dad returns again. We have time!” Arryl pats her back reassuringly, despite the slight shakiness in his own voice.

“You’re right! So, let’s use it!” She stands up abruptly and nearly knocks Arryl off his feet. Laughing, he stands up, too.

It’s amazing how quick her mood can change. Arryl wonders if she’s hiding her feelings like he does, though. It’s hard to keep up a fake cheerful façade. He should know. He does it often enough. But not right now. His joy is real in this moment, spent with a friend.

“I trust you, _obviously._ ” Despite the mocking tone, Arryl does trust her. Completely. She’s a pure bundle of joy, unafraid to be herself and only wants to enjoy the good in life. Including a wild little Hylian who’s worried more about the fate of the world than himself. And music. Oh… Music. “Hey. Why don’t we play something? You’ll be better since I haven’t touched my ocarina in years, but—”

“Yes! I don’t care if it sounds bad! That’s not why I like it!” Maizli flaps her wings excitedly, with such intensity that a few feathers fly out into the wind. “This will be great! Do you have the ocarina with you? Let’s go get it!”

And before he can start walking, Maizli has started dragging Arryl to his house as fast as she can. He’ll never be as cheery as she is, but it’s certainly contagious.

Maizli’s voice on its own it beautiful, as it always has been, but Arryl’s ocarina playing leaves a lot to be desired. Slightly out of tune and breathy, the songs are constantly interrupted with giggles, the most laughing the two have done together in years. Arryl wishes he could spend longer like this, and so does Maizli. But the sun is setting and there are small chores to be done.

\--

While Maizli took the news surprisingly well, Revali… doesn’t.

The second Arryl gets out “I’m moving”, Revali storms off in a huff. And Arryl gets it. He doesn’t want to move either. But he wants to spend more time with his friend.

Maybe they’re not friends, then. It’s not too much of a stretch to believe, Revali never really liked him anyways.

When Arryl falls asleep that night, he’s alone and doubting one of his only friendships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapters are usually so brief because my brain refuses to write long things yeehaw gamers


	13. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl receives a surprise gift.

A week later, after many days spent with Maizli and none with Revali, Arryl is awoken by a sharp knock at his door. His instincts scream for him to grab a sword and attack. He grabs the nearest object, which happens to be an old broomstick, to defend himself with if the need arises. A broom is basically a spear if you put enough force behind it.

Bare feet silently carry Arryl to the door, where he grabs the handle and flings it open as fast as possible. Adrenaline fades to confusion quickly as he realizes that no one is there. A package, however, lies on the doorstep. Small and unassuming.

He sticks his head out of the door frame cautiously, making sure there’s no actual threat. The sun has barely started to rise over the calm landscape, but there’s no sign of anyone nearby. Tucking the broom under his arm, he feels the package tentatively. It weighs almost nothing. A cricket chirps, and Arryl jumps at the sound. The safety of the house calls out to him, and he quickly steps back inside and shuts the door. The lock clicks behind him and the soft bed envelops him as he sits down, staring at the package.

The paper crinkles and cracks as Arryl opens the package, revealing a small and beautifully crafted necklace. Small leather strips are braided around a few tiny beads, but the real centerpiece is a feather. A dark blue feather recognizable anywhere. It’s Revali’s.

He lifts the elegant necklace, gingerly opening the letter that lies beneath it.

_This is sooner than I wish I could have given this to you, but you’ve unfortunately decided to leave. Sure, sure, it’s not your fault. But I’d rather not spend the rest of the time moping about it and doing things we’d never do normally. I admit, perhaps, I could have reacted better when you told me._

_Let’s not focus on that. The gift is more important. I’ll graciously explain its meaning to you. It’s much more than a simple piece of jewelry._

_Think of it as a representation of our friendship. A promise, even. We’ll protect Hyrule, even if we can’t do it together._

_Wear this proudly._

_The one and only,_

_Revali_

Arryl smiles and carefully tucks the letter away. The feather of the necklace glistens in the light, stark against the dull but carefully cut leather. It rests comfortably around his neck, feeling like it belongs. Just under the necklace, a warmth blossoms in his chest. He feels secure with his future, knowing Revali cares. That they’re friends. A confirmation that dissipates the doubt that’s stuck with him for ages.

The past week has been painful without Revali, but of course he’s been dramatic about it. It probably took forever for him to pick the _perfect_ feather for the necklace. Arryl rests a hand over the necklace, happy with the knowledge that Revali and Maizli will be there for him, even when he’s far from the village all the way in Castle Town.

A small feeling of guilt leaks into the peace of the moment. Should he tell them about his feelings, his knowledge that he’s not a girl? Does he _owe_ it to them, do they need to know now, before he leaves? A divide between how they see him and how he perceives himself. Time feels too short for now. He’ll think better on a full night’s sleep. There are a few hours until it’s time to wake.


	14. Rusl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A final fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for death, battle, hallucinations

Rain drenches the landscape, creating shallow ponds in the grasslands. Lightning strikes nearby, illuminating dark of the night and revealing the monstrous features of Rusl’s foes. Surrounded, outnumbered, and overwhelmed. His chances are looking bleak, but he’s not going to give up without trying.

He clumsily slashes his sword through the air, wincing as his wounds open with the movement. Rain mixes with blood, soaking him through and chilling him to the core. He’s on high alert, knowing how dire his situation is. Five black moblins may surround him now, but their numbers started much higher. Ten moblins, now dead, disappear into clouds of darkness that melt into the night. The bodies of his fellow knights, his friends, do not follow the same path. Their metallic armor attracts the storm’s wrath; yellow sparks scatter across the shiny, soaked surfaces.

Another flash of lightning and deafening thunder booms, synced with the crack of an unseen club against Rusl’s head. Everything goes white for a moment as he’s knocked forward into the mud. His grip on his sword weakens. A voice yells out in pain, is that his?

His vision blurs, only filled with illusory images of his family. Arryl. Only fifteen, and already closing herself off from the world. Is it his fault, has he driven her to this point? Or is it this world they’re in, one with monsters and demon prophecies? What would his late wife think of how he’s done, raising their child? A faint voice rings out in his head, what he knows she would have said to him.

_Arryl’s just like you, dear. Worried about everything and hiding it every step of the way. You’ve done everything you thought was best, and she’s going to grow to be an incredible person._

Rusl smiles for one last time, with memories of his family and hope that he’ll meet his wife once more. One of his foes deals the final blow and his world goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters tonight because they're both a little short!!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arryl receives the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for death/loved one dying

The clopping and splashing of hooves pierces the silence of the serene day. Storms have passed, leaving behind only hints that it was ever there. The croaking of frogs mixes with the splashing of creatures moving through the water. Arryl is relaxing in the sun, sitting up when he hears abnormal movement. His father shouldn’t be back for another week.

Several knights ride slowly along next to a horse-pulled cart; a cart used for transporting the dead. Simple, carved wood decorates the outside of the small cart, indicative of funeral ceremonies. Prayers to Hylia, blessing the afterlife of those that have passed.

Rusl is not among the knights transporting the cart. But it can’t be. He was one of the most skilled knights in the service; _he can’t be dead._ Regardless, the knights ride on, right for Arryl’s home.

He feels himself sprinting to the cart before his mind can catch up. He knows what he’s going to hear. Water soaks through his boots and mud splashes onto his pants as he frantically runs down the path.

The knight in the front of the group gives a command to his troupe to halt and he climbs off his horse. Black hair falls over his eyes as he removes his helmet, “I’m sorry. Rusl… Your father. He died in the line of duty, honorably.”

Arryl shakes his head, “You must be mistaken. It can’t be him.” His fingers dig into his palms; an attempt to ground himself. His gaze drifts back behind the knights. He can’t help but imagine his father lying dead inside. Why couldn’t anyone save him?

A strong hand rests on his shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. “Let us walk you up to the village so you aren’t alone.” No comfort would help him now. Especially not the cold, gloved hand of a man he’s never met. Rage bubbles inside Arryl, wanting to curse the evil and its monsters. Only tears form instead. A hard lump forms in his throat, preventing him from forming the words he wants to scream.

Arryl takes a step back, his boot sinking into the mud as he does. The world passes him by in slow motion, and all he can focus on is the cart behind the knights. Armor reflects the sun into his eyes, tears refracting the light even further. Before he can fully process it or be consoled, he’s on Epona, running away with only a sword and the clothes on his back. As though being far away from him home will change the reality of it. His father is dead and nothing else matters.


	16. Revali

Of all the people in Hyrule, Arryl is the last person Revali expected to run away in the face of a challenge. She’s impulsive, sure, but this feels wrong. If he had just been with her when she received the news… Maybe things would be different. Maybe she wouldn’t have run.

He can spend his whole life wishing for things to be different, or he can move on. Arryl will come back. Some day. His first real, true friend, gone in an instant. No, no. She’s not dead. She’s simply made some stupid, stupid decisions. He can’t blame her for it.

He will hide these feelings. He’ll train and perfect his Gale. When Arryl returns, he’ll have mastered it and she’ll be sorry she ever left.

And he can take her flying when she returns. He never got to show her what it was like. They could have done it last week if he hadn’t been moping and hiding, worried that she’d never come back to visit. That fear feels more like reality than merely a nightmare now.

“Revali…” Maizli’s quiet voice rings out from the entrance to his home and Revali jumps, startled by the sudden noise. When did the sun set? “They can’t find her.”

“So what?” he snaps, angry at everything. “She’s a fool.” He regrets the words as he says them but keeps a calm face. The last thing he needs is pity from Maizli. Guilt pulls at every fiber of his being as he watches her form shrink and tears well up in her eyes. She walks away quickly before she breaks down in front of him, the click of her talons growing quieter in the distance.

He looks over to the scarf Arryl gave him as it waves in the breeze. It’s the only memento he has now. It would be a waste to get rid of it, a perfectly useful article of clothing. He tries to ignore his emotions as he puts the scarf on, comforted by its warmth like a hug.

Revali jumps out of his window and takes off for the Flight Range, silencing the screaming thought of _Arryl might be there_. Useless to get his hopes up now. If she’ll return, she’ll do it in her own time. Searching will be futile. He’s just going there to train. Or to sleep somewhere that isn’t the village.

The range is devoid of life, no signs that Arryl has stopped here. And why would she? It’s not like this place was important to her. It’s his own sanctuary that he was charitable enough to lend access to.

Revali carefully takes stock of the weapons in storage, noting them down. He checks every week to make sure nothing has gone missing, any sign that Arryl might have been here. Everything stays as it should, even if he wishes something, _anything_ , would change. It never does.

It’s colder than usual that first night. The scarf keeps him warm, and he dreams of the night he received it. When he wakes, he feels rejuvenated until he remembers what’s happened.


	17. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years later, the forest calls and Arryl answers.

Fog drifts in the air, covering the forest like a thick blanket. Eerie howls ring out from beyond where Arryl can see. Vague silhouettes of smiling, menacing dead trees drains the confidence of each step. He squints, trying to make out a faint light in the distance. Embers from a torch blow in the breeze and float further into the foggy woods. He is profoundly alone, Epona has long since left him. He looked for ages, thinking perhaps here, but he’s found no luck so far.

Arryl takes a step forward, out of his own control, like some unknown force is leading him to the core of this mysterious place. Heavy fog fills his lungs, further plunging him into a dreamlike state. Soft, upbeat music rings through the trees. Or is that just his imagination? Wherever it is, it feels oddly familiar; a memory long forgotten.

His eyes close and he lets the feeling pull him, ignoring all other sensations. He isn’t sure if he’s overcome by the feeling or if he’s allowing it to happen. Wolves howl in the distance, but Arryl doesn’t hear them. Images of lush forests, filled with songs and laughter, children cloaked in green all come to Arryl’s mind as he walks. Nothing like the atmosphere he’s in now. He needs to keep going.

His scarred hand brushes against the rough bark of a tree, drawing him out of the trance and into reality once more. Gently, he rests his palm on its trunk in an attempt to root himself in the present. Silent shrooms glow to his left, illuminating the a small stream nearby. Arryl takes a moment to survey the source and after determining it to be fresh, kneels down to fill his water pouch. The blue glow of the mushroom lights up his face, reflecting it in the puddle before him.

His hair is shorter now. Easier to manage, but still long enough. A face he barely recognizes stares back at him, intense yet emotionless. Blue eyes shine brighter under the mushroom’s iridescent glow. Maybe no one would recognize him now. A whole new person, devoid of everything he wanted before.

So much changes in just a few years.

Now he lives to survive, killing monsters where and when he can. He knows when to run from a fight, but he’s been doing less and less of that lately. Real battles come with real wounds, beyond the scrapes and bruises of training. And gashes from the occasional climbing accident. Battles with the beasts of the so-called Calamity Ganon are dangerous. They’re what killed his father. Every monster slain is another monster that can’t hurt anyone else. That’s what Arryl tells himself, at the very least. A good excuse for not going back home. No, not home. Just where he used to live. Nowhere is home now. Drifting between stables, tiny villages nestled in serene valleys and peaceful forests. No one asks what a young man is doing there alone. It seems everyone is more alone these days, but never unfriendly.

A twig snaps behind him and in an instant he’s up on his feet, sword in hand. A small creature stares up at him, observing. It’s nothing like the wildlife he’s seen until now. Like a walking tree…but not like the grassland Octorocks he’s encountered so many times before. After a few confusing moments, the wooden creature flies up and disappears into the fog with a musical rattle and a few lingering leaves, floating in the air.

He’d follow, if he could. Instead, the core of the forest calls out to him once more. The feeling is impossible to resist, and Arryl gives in. It’s as if his feet move on their own, lighter than air but with purpose. Out of the corner of his eye he spots more creatures of the forest. Watching him, waiting to see what he’s going to do. They scamper through the tall grass and fly above the trees in the cover of the dense fog. He can’t tell if he’s following them, or if it’s the other way around.

Regardless, in what feels like just a few minutes, Arryl arrives in a clearing. It’s stunning, a natural beauty unlike the parts of the world he’s visited up until now. Fireflies float through the sunlit trees, their leaves creating a spotted pattern of light on the lush green grass at his feet. Flowers of all kinds grow at the edges of the ponds where frogs lay, basking in the warmth the sun provides.

And there, in the water, lies a large triangular stone platform. Its center holds a sword that he swears he’s seen before. But that’s impossible—of course he hasn’t. He’s stopped before he can take a step forward by a booming voice.

“Ah, young man. What brings you to the forest?” Arryl whips his head around but cannot locate the source of the voice. Until he looks upward, that is. The massive tree in the center of this forest haven smiles down at him. It isn’t like the menacing smiles of the dead and dying trees in the foggy woods, but instead a warm and inviting smile of what is quite clearly a living being. The small plant creatures hide in its roots and under the cover of its leaves.

“Would you be more comfortable with an introduction first?” Watching the tree’s mouth move as it speaks is disorientating, “Over the ages, I have been referred to as the Great Deku Tree.”

The Great Deku feels like an old friend, though Arryl bows to show his peaceful intentions. He’s rewarded with a hearty laugh. He stands up straight, trying to look confident but comfortable. It’s been ages since Arryl has spoken and he doesn’t trust his voice. Instead, he raises his hands to sign.

_“I do not know why I am here. The forest called to me.”_

“Perhaps… It is time once again. Gather your strength and take the sword in front of you. The ancient blade created by the Goddess long ago.” The sword chimes in response like a language he doesn’t understand. At the same time though, he _does_. It draws him near and he grips the hilt.

All at once, burning pain radiates through his body. Every part of him hurts, but he must persevere. With one strong pull, the sword slides out of its pedestal and glows its own brilliant white light. A familiar presence.

“Hero. You must make your way to Hyrule Castle. They are looking for you,” the Great Deku Tree’s booming voice grows more joyous, as though he had been waiting for this for some time.

The sword feels impossibly light in his hands despite being almost the entire length of his body. He gives it a few test swings, cutting through the air with skill and grace. The blade’s edge is sharp and somehow Arryl knows that he will never need to upkeep it. His old metal blade feels useless now, heavier and slower than his new weapon. His partner.

“What is your name, Hero?” For a being so large, the Great Deku’s Tree is soft when he asks this.

He hesitates for a moment. Arryl doesn’t feel right anymore, but it’s all he’s ever been called.

The sword chimes once more, glowing softly as it does, and a name comes to mind.

_“Link.”_

In time, there may be another more qualified to take this blade and fight the Calamity, but right now Link knows he is meant to fill this role. For the first time in years, purpose fuels and drives his soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this started as purely revalink but here we are,,,, i simply. write about link's experiences. i'm a fair bit ahead of what i'm posting (just so i can be regular about updates) so i can promise there's more link/revali interaction but whehehehoo my brain is Smooth


	18. Zelda

The time has come to meet her appointed knight, the Hylian Champion. Holder of the sword that seals the darkness. The man who’s found his destiny. A bitter feeling lingers in Zelda’s gut, guiding a path to direct her frustration at.

They are to travel to each of the four other Champions to observe their progress with the Divine Beasts. Ancient technology takes time to understand. If only she could be given that time to study the Sheikah relics. The Sheikah slate at her hip only stores images and writing, though Purah has been trying to discover its other functions.

“Princess.” Impa calls out from the doorway. Her trusted advisor stands patiently, waiting for acknowledgement. She nods softly at Zelda, “Link has arrived. The Champion.”

Zelda tries to hide her contempt, but by Impa’s raised eyebrows, she figures she didn’t do a very good job. Her back straightens in an attempt to compose herself. “Thank you, Impa. I’ll be out in just a moment.”

Deep breaths do nothing to quell Zelda’s frustration, but it does help level her outward attitude to a presentable state. Her journal closes with a soft thump and her chair squeaks against the stone when she stands. She blows out the candle a little too forcefully and its smoke drifts in faint trails up to and out the open window.

When Zelda exits her room in the tower, she sees a small Hylian standing at attention next to Impa. He’s just barely her height – hardly a formidable opponent. From here, she can see any exposed skin is covered in scars. She never understood how scars were a point of pride for so many of the knights. There’s always an idiotic story attached to it; an avoidable situation barely, foolishly escaped from. This knight is undoubtedly the same, she’s sure of it. A chill runs down Zelda’s spine when he turns to look at her with an intense, unreadable expression.

He kneels immediately, and Zelda raises her chin slightly. A stance fit for someone of her status, worthy of all the bowing people seem to love to do.

“That’s enough, you may stand.” As soon as the words leave Zelda’s mouth, Link stands upright. At least she won’t have any trouble getting him to do what she wants. She stands, waiting for him to speak. Instead, he begins to sign.

 _“It’s an honor, Princess.”_ Zelda wishes she could say the same. Even his signing is formal, almost emotionless. Not unnaturally so, no. He’s trying to be exact in every moment.

“Link, was it? Are you prepared for the journey to the Goron City? We are leaving immediately,” Zelda says. The journey will be long and ideally, uneventful.

Link gives a nod of affirmation before looking to Impa. She nods back, “Would you prepare the horses? I need a moment with the princess.”

Without another word, Link darts off down the stairs. His steps are quieter than Zelda would expect for someone in such a rush.

Once he’s out of earshot, Impa crosses her arms disapprovingly. “Do not give the man such trouble, Zelda! He is merely doing his job. You must do the same.”

She’s been doing her _job_ her entire life! A man that no one has heard of, that likely has not worked as hard as she, can simply pull out an ancient relic and fulfill a duty he had no idea of prior?! It’s just not fair. All her muscles tense and she angrily moves to leave.

“I am _sorry_. You are doing the best you can. But so is he.” Impa grabs her hand firmly, stopping her in her tracks. “Be careful on your travels.”

Zelda stands silently until Impa releases her grip. She leaves without another word. The stairwells feel like they’re closing in on her, threatening to crush her like the anxiety in her chest. She reaches the bottom and breathes a sigh of relief until she remembers where she’s going. The stables aren’t far. Not a long time before she’s stuck with this knight for the foreseeable future.

\--

Over the next few days, they take increasingly frequent breaks as they draw closer to Death Mountain. _“The heat is taking a toll on the horses.”_ Link signs. _“We cannot take them up the mountain.”_

Zelda scoffs, “Well, of course. Do you take me for a fool?” Her tone is sharp. If she can get him to give up on trailing behind her like a lost puppy, only following her father’s orders, she’ll be happy.

 _“I did not mean to insult you. I’m sorry.”_ Link’s expression changes into something recognizable for once: worry.

“Maybe if you spoke, you’d be able to communicate your point better.” When Zelda turns her head to look back at Link, his face is more like stone than it had been before. His jaw is tensed, his hands grip his horse’s reigns tightly, and he looks ahead at the path to avoid eye contact with the princess. She regrets her choice of words. Stubbornly, she refuses to apologize or acknowledge her insult.

Zelda ignores her guilt and opts to focus on their surroundings instead. She never gets to sit and appreciate the beauties of Hyrule. Today is no different, though a passerby could assume the two Hylians are sightseeing, if not for their royal adornments. After a few uneventful minutes, Zelda glances back at Link. A dragonfly has made a home of his hair, somehow. _Several_ dragonflies are buzzing around his head, though he doesn’t seem very bothered. He slowly raises a hand and smiles softly when one lands on his finger. She gets the feeling she’ll never understand this man.

When Link finally signs again, it’s to the stable owner at the base of Death Mountain so they and their horses can rest. The Goron Champion will be meeting them in the morning and Zelda isn’t particularly fond of the idea of staying in the heat of Death Mountain for longer than strictly necessary.

The beds are surprisingly comfortable, letting Zelda fall asleep rather quickly. She drifts off, watching Link stand guard while there are still people up and about.

\--

Morning comes quickly. Zelda awakes abruptly from a dreamless sleep when she hears a loud voice calling out from outside the stable. She hurries to grab her things and straighten herself out. Her knight is nowhere to be seen. He must be outside. So much for always being at her side protecting her.

She exits the stable – still a bit of a mess – where Link is standing on guard with his sword out. So dramatic. The voice calls out again and this time she can see its source. Up the path to the mountain, a large Goron is sprinting toward them, arms waving excitedly. As he comes into view, Link gasps quietly and puts away his sword so he can walk up the road.

To Zelda’s amazement, Daruk scoops Link up in a hug which he readily accepts. She’s afraid the giant Goron will crush the Hylian in his large, rocky arms – but when Daruk releases him, Link _laughs._ It’s the first sound she’s heard him make in the few days she’s known him. It’s cheerful but scratchy and breathy: the sound of a voice unused for months.

“Hey, little guy! What are you doing here?! And with the Princess?” Daruk claps Link on the back with a massive open palm. This sends him toppling forward, and Zelda hides a smile behind her hand. His cold exterior does at least to be just that, hiding a friendlier man at his core. She still can’t help her dislike of him, the man that represents what she is unable to achieve.

Clouds of dust float in the air as Link dusts himself off. He signs with dirt-covered hands, _“We are here to check in on the progress of the Goron Champion.”_

“No kidding! You’re lookin’ at him!” Daruk belly laughs and rests his stone crusher on his shoulder proudly. Link smiles up at him before he bows deeply, adopting his official tone once more and letting his friendly aura melt away.

Zelda takes a step forward, tired of waiting. “This is Link, the Hylian Champion.” She can’t help but wonder how they know each other. “How are your skills developing with Vah Rudania?”

“Right to business!” Daruk smiles, lacking no enthusiasm. He pulls out several fireproof elixirs and holds them for the Hylians to take. “Didn’t know if you had any of these, but you’re gonna need ‘em up there! Let’s go!”


	19. Link

Link sits on a stump outside the stable, keeping himself busy by pretending to polish his blade. The truth is, holding the Master Sword helps calm his nerves. The cool glint of steel grounds him and reminds him of his purpose. The spirit inside chimes, and Link understands it’s asking why fear fills his mind. There’s no physical danger. The princess is safe, just tending to a few things before they depart.

A gentle song drifts on the breeze. Its tune fills Link with bittersweet nostalgia. He takes a deep breath, and turns up to look at the village up the road.

The Rito Village. His old home sits ahead, empty and unused for years. Once a comfort and refuge, it now serves as a sad reminder of what he’s lost. What he’s left behind. He’s scared of what awaits him. Will he be recognized? He’s changed so much that he can’t imagine he would be… but he can certainly dread the possibility. The necklace he wears under his tunic presses against his chest, reminding him of happier days.

“What are you waiting for?” The princess stands in front of him impatiently with her arms crossed. “We are going to be _late.”_

Link stands up and straightens his back despite the pit of fear sinking into his chest. _“Right. I’ll follow behind you.”_ He’s not unaware of Zelda’s hatred of him. It isn’t completely baseless. He hasn’t been the best traveling companion nor was he assigned to the princess with her permission. It’s a situation that no one really wants, but it’s absolutely necessary. They’ve already had numerous encounters with monsters trying to kill Zelda. Link is a Champion, and he has to fill his role. Zelda is trying so hard to fill hers, after all.

One thing he was unaware of was the identity of the Rito Champion. When Link and Zelda scale the stairs of the village to greet him, Link almost turns around and runs.

 _Revali_.

The way he looks at Link, with contempt and irritation, almost convinces him on the spot that Revali recognizes his former friend. Revali turns his attention to the princess and bows shallowly so he remains taller than the Hylians. “What an _honor_ , Princess Zelda.” His words have a hint of sarcasm – Link was once very good at reading Revali, and it seems that hasn’t changed.

“Revali, I’m glad to see you’re doing well. How goes your—”

“Are you not going to introduce yourself, then?” Revali interrupts Zelda, pointedly looking at Link. Link’s face remains neutral, though he can’t fathom how he’s managing it. Every part of him wants to embrace his friend but berate him for his rudeness at the same time.

 _“I am Princess Zelda’s knight, Link.”_ He signs confidently, thankful that he doesn’t need to use his voice. While it may not be recognizable, Link knows he wouldn’t be able to hide his overwhelming and conflicting emotions.

“The silent Hylian Champion. Interesting.” Revali’s gaze flicks down to Link’s hands, which have begun to tremble slightly. Link lets them rest at his sides instead. “And irrelevant. Let’s get to more important matters.”

Link zones out, trying to ignore the conversation. Part of him is relieved. Revali doesn’t know him. He doesn’t have to worry about that. But… Revali was his _friend_. Being berated by someone you knew… It hurts a lot more than the physical wounds Link has suffered. This is what he chose to leave behind, though. He has to accept it no matter the difficulty.

He keeps looking for Maizli. Just in case. If anyone would recognize him… well. It’d be her.

\--

Over the few days of their visit, Revali continues to talk about Link as though he wasn’t just there in front of him. It’s like a second princess, upset with Link for things beyond his control. He finds himself taking patrols around outskirts of the village more often. Familiar sights litter the area, bringing a sad joy to Link’s soul.

Especially when he walks by his old home. A grave lies in the yard, well-tended to compared to the rest of the place. Fresh flowers are laid at its base; brilliant colors illuminate the stone. Two names are carved on its face. _Rusl and Arryl._

They think he’s dead. It makes sense. It’s been years; he’s never returned.

Until now, that is. But he’s not here as _her_. It doesn’t matter and it won’t make up for him running away.

“Were you a friend?” someone asks, startling Link.

Rili. She stares down at the grave, flowers in hand. A sad smile rests on her face when she looks back at Link.

 _“No. I wasn’t… I was just passing by.”_ He tries to hide his face behind his unkempt hair. Being berated by Rili seems like a possibility here that he wants to avoid. She was like a mother to him in his childhood. Disappointing her… he can’t bear it.

“Ah. Well… thank you for giving them a quiet moment.” Crickets chirp quietly in the overgrown grass around them.

_“Who were they?”_

“One of my closest friends and his daughter. We still hold hope that she’s alive, but…” Rili shakes her head, “Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just an old woman.”

 _“I’m sorry for your loss.”_ Link quickly signs before bowing and departing. If he stays, he’s sure his heart would break.

“Wait.” Rili calls out, stopping Link in his tracks. “That blue tunic… Are you here with the princess?”

_“On official business, yes.”_

“Will you be here longer? Let me have you two over for a meal.”

\--

Link and Zelda sit around the cooking pot in the center of the house. The aroma of fresh fish fills the air, though Link has no appetite. He’s had a healthy helping of guilt to sustain him for the rest of his life.

Rili sits down at the empty space and hands the two Hylians wooden bowls. “It’s a shame my daughter couldn’t be here. She would’ve loved to meet you both.”

So she is okay, at least. Some relief worms its way into Link, providing some comfort in the knowledge that he won’t see Maizli.

“Is she travelling? Perhaps we’ll encounter her on our journey!” Zelda smiles. She’s always so friendly with everyone, with the obvious exception. She needs more time like this, to just be a person. Link does too, but not here. Not yet.

Rili nods, “She’s out there, seeing the world. I’m proud of her even if it gets a little lonely here.” She smiles softly and adjusts her posture. “My beautiful little bard, all grown up.” Rili laughs and begins to eat. Link sees the twinge of sadness in her eyes.

Dinner is uneventful otherwise, but it’s peaceful and makes Link miss quiet nights here with its songs and its food. He hopes he can return once the Calamity is dealt with.


	20. Link

“Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity.” Zelda speaks in an official yet unenthusiastic tone. Link can’t see her face as he kneels, head looking down at the stone of the central fountain.

The sun beats down on them, but a cool breeze passes through to provide some relief from the heat. Small birds sing from their nests in the apple trees, a cheerful contrast from the dreary ceremony. Dragonflies buzz around them, never choosing to land but to instead enjoy the clear blue sky above them. Waves of grass move in the wind. Link pays attention to these sounds instead.

“And have proved yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia.” She hesitates slightly before speaking. She’s still working so hard to prove herself; nothing has worked yet. The threat of the Calamity Ganon draws nearer. It could be at any time and the pressure steadily increases on Zelda most of all.

Link’s ears perk up a little when he hears the Champions behind him begin talking amongst themselves.

“Gee, this is uplifting.” Daruk tries to be quiet, but his voice is still a normal speaking volume for the average person. Still, the quietest Link _has_ heard him. His travels around Death Mountain have let him become familiar with the Goron’s boisterous nature, though it never becomes less charming the more time spent with him.

“Wasn’t this your idea? You’re the one who wanted to designate the appointed knight with all the ceremonial pomp, grandeur, and nonsense we could muster!” Revali says, annoyed. He still hasn’t softened on Link – it remains a great pain in Link’s heart, but he understands. No one knows how hard he worked. Having the spirit of a hero means that he’s just a natural, apparently. Compared to how much time Revali’s dedicated to his training… Well. It makes sense. “And if you ask me, the whole thing does seem to be overkill.”

“Oh, give it a rest. That boy is a living reminder of her own failures. Well at least, that’s how the princess sees him.” The metal of Urbosa’s armor clinks as she shifts, the faint sound of sparks trailing across her form. Hearing someone say the truth out loud like that hurts more than Link expected it to. He knows that’s what Zelda thinks of him, but… It’s an insurmountable divide between the two of them that he does not believe he can overcome.

Despite how alone he feels nowadays, Link is honored to be serving alongside such skilled people. The fate of Hyrule couldn’t rest in hands better than these.


	21. Revali

“Medoh, I simply don’t understand it.” Revali sighs, resting against the main terminal of the Divine Beast. _His_ Divine Beast. Its groans echo through its chamber.

“I don’t understand how that _boy_ can have the spirit of the Hero, or whatever it is that goddess chose him for. He was born with his destiny. I’ve worked tirelessly to create my own path.” He crosses his wings angrily. Medoh’s inner mechanisms churn and grind, and its central terminal rhythmically glows a soft blue. Over the past few months, he’s understood this to be a strange form a speech. Though he wouldn’t be able to translate it directly… he knows what it means, somehow. A strange bond exists between he and the Divine Beast.

“Yes, yes, I don’t know his history. But I do know that no matter what he did, he’d still come to be the appointed knight of the princess and the Goddess. I’m a common man who made myself magnificently important.” He stands up straighter and puffs out his chest, proud of himself and what he’s achieved. Being able to show his skills off like he has been able to as Rito Champion fills him with a deep sense of satisfaction.

Revali’s talons click on the floor as he walks around Medoh’s interior. Harsh, high-altitude winds blow through its wings. The rushing noise is comforting. A refuge away from the bustling of his village below.

“You know who ought to have been the Hylian Champion?” Medoh’s terminal shines blue briefly. Revali rests a wing on the blue luminescent stone thoughtfully. “Arryl. Too bad she… Well.” He doesn’t continue. Not out loud, at least. He hates imagining what could have been, but it doesn’t stop him from doing so. He and Arryl, side-by-side, earning their way to their destinies and forging their own paths. He smiles sadly at the memory of his friend, never found. He’s given up hope that she’s alive, even if resignation hurts. The hoping hurt more.

Medoh’s terminal glows a bright blue as it turns sharply, knocking Revali off his feet. “Hey-!” Revali grunts as he hits the ground unexpectedly. “Give a Rito some warning, first.” A few blue flashes illuminate the mechanism and he sighs in response. “Alright, yes. I’ll stop _moping_.”

When Revali goes to stand up again, Medoh makes another sharp turn to right itself. Unfortunately for him, this causes him to roll beak over talon in an unceremonious somersault. Medoh roars and lights up in what Revali could only describe as mischievous laughter. It fills him with a profound and childish joy that makes him chuckle, like joking with a friend.

Is it sad that his only nearby companion is an ancient piece of technology?

\--

The following week, the Champions are all summoned to Hyrule Castle for “an official dinner.” It just seems all useless. Wouldn’t their time be much better spent training or preparing instead of travelling for pompous events? He’s sure he could simply _forget_ to attend… but it’s been a moment since he’s seen Mipha. The only tolerable Champion, beside himself of course.

“So, he finally arrives.” Urbosa raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms as Revali enters the castle, escorted by two Hylian guards. “Looks like I owe you fifty rupees, Daruk.”

“Revali! I know you’d show up!” Daruk comes blundering toward him. Luckily, it’s not too difficult to fly to the side and avoid his death-grip of a hug completely. He plows through the door behind him, toppling to the floor by the sound of it.

“No thank you. Thank you for the show of confidence, Chief.” Revali rolls his eyes. “So, where is this _big, grand dinner_ we’re supposed to be attending?” He crosses his arms and tries not to tap his talons impatiently.

 _“This way.”_ Link walks in behind him and signs quickly, stone-faced as ever. Revali glares at the knight’s back, annoyed at the glint of the longsword on his back, indicative of the Goddess’s chosen hero.

Mipha walks up next to Revali, trailing behind the other three Champions. “How have you been? Are you taking care of yourself?”

“I’m in _perfect_ health, Mipha.”

“Just making sure.” She smiles up at him, gripping her trident a little closer. “Sidon keeps asking if he may come to these official proceedings. ‘ _I am a prince, sister!’_ ” She imitates her younger brother with affection.

“I’d like to see what chaos he’d cause.” Revali snickers. The young Zora isn’t exactly calm. He’s a child, after all.

“Oh, he’s becoming rather well-behaved for his age.” Mipha pauses before adding, “Almost.”

“I wonder how he compares to Rito children.”

“Well, he certainly cannot _fly_ and he’s only learning to climb waterfalls.”

“But he _is_ learning. I imagine he’ll be even more of a handful soon.”

“Yes.” Mipha scratches the back of her neck, “I wish I had more time to spend with him. I’d wish for us to defeat the Calamity soon, but… We aren’t prepared quite yet.”

“Speak for yourself. Medoh and I are getting along swimmingly – do pardon my pun. If you’re struggling with Ruta—”

“You know that isn’t what I meant, Revali.” Ah yes. The princess still hasn’t unlocked that fated power of hers. Maybe throwing her right into danger would help. Give her a little scare for once.

When he and Mipha enter the dining hall, the only available seats are next to Zelda and next to Link. _Incredible_. Mipha looks up at him and opens her mouth to speak, but Revali interrupts her before she can begin. “Sit with the princess.”

“But—”

“Please, both of them are unbearable. I’d rather you be entertained.”

Mipha blushes. Her love for the princess isn’t exactly _obvious_ , but he wouldn’t call it secretive either. Likewise, she knows he can’t stand Link in particular. A minor sacrifice for… a friend.

He moves to sit down before Mipha can, giving her no other option. Link looks at him quizzically, clearly surprised Revali would grace him with his presence. He raises an eyebrow at the Hylian. “I’m not signing any autographs.”

Link sighs and looks ahead. At least Revali doesn’t have to deal with hearing him. A benefit to his silence. He could close his eyes and that would be all, though he gets the feeling Link would find a way annoy him anyway.

Dinner isn’t as _unbearable_ as he initially expected. It seems the King isn’t attending, so Zelda is more personable. Link, however…

“Hey, little guy!” Daruk shouts even though he’s merely across the table. “Did you cook any of this?”

Revali turns to look at Link. “You _cook?_ I assumed a knight would only be good at fighting—”

 _“I cook for myself sometimes.”_ Link signs quickly, as though he’s embarrassed. He looks back at Daruk with a small smile, signing more enthusiastically. _“I didn’t cook any of this, though.”_

“Well the rock roast is really something else! You should try it!” The Goron picks up what can only be described as literal molten rock and holds it out across the table.

“Anyone else here would break their teeth on that if it didn’t burn them first.” Urbosa’s laugh has a strange metallic twinge to it, a side effect of her ancestry, perhaps.

“I prefer the food of my home, regardless. It’s—”

 _“—some of the best food in Hyrule.”_ It’s difficult for Link to interrupt someone, but the shock of seeing him compliment anything remotely adjacent to Revali causes him to gawk.

“Oh, I could easily make a case for Gerudo cuisine.” Urbosa smiles at Link, clearly happy at the chance to converse with the mysterious man. “Have you had it before?”

Link turns red at the sudden attention. _“No.”_ How incredibly thought-provoking. A brilliant response. Revali rests his head on his hand to demonstrate his _boredom_. Mipha kicks him from under the table.

“Well, I’ll have to make sure you have some next time you visit the desert.”

“It’s not like he can enter the city.” Zelda snaps.

“There are ways around everything, princess.” Urbosa grins, a mischievous air surrounding her. Link seems to shrink back into his seat.

 _“I wouldn’t want to disrespect your traditions.”_ Even with sign language, it looks like Link is struggling to pick his words.

“Please, rules are meant to be broken.” Urbosa waves a hand dismissively and leans back against her chair. Her metal heels click on the stone below. “Though, they do keep a lot of creeps out.”

“As much as I love to rebel against authority, can we please choose a more interesting topic? Like, paint drying or grass growing?” Revali says sarcastically.

Link gives a few breathy laughs, the kind where you breath out of your noise quickly when something is only a little funny. _“You could guide the conversation then instead of just interrupting.”_ He smirks and signs in such a way that only Revali can see his hands. Hm. Maybe he’s not as one-dimensional as previously thought.

\--

Revali sits on the roof of one of the castle’s towers, watching the bustle of the city below. Unlike the Rito Village, it’s still active even at this late hour. Though he hates to admit is, even silently, Hylians are interesting. Don’t they ever _sleep_?

Footsteps click on the ground below and Revali has to lean over the side to see who they belong to. Probably one of the dozens of servants that live in the castle.

Unfortunately, it’s Link, and Revali makes eye contact with him. Link tilts his head to the side and squints. _“Revali?”_

Revali scoffs, “Obviously.” It’s not that dark out. He should be _easily_ recognizable. There’s no Rito like him.

Link closes his eyes and sighs softly before walking into the tower below him. So much for that conversation. Revali looks back out over the horizon to watch the lights and the stars. The waning moon sheds the last of its cycle’s light on the fields around Castle Town. Scuffling sounds out from behind him, shoes scraping and catching on stone.

Wait, what?

Revali whips his head around and – to his despair – sees Link climbing up onto the roof, grunting as he makes the last jump up. “You know, I came up here to be _alone_.”

 _“Ignore me, then.”_ He sits on the opposite side of the small roof, hanging his legs off its edge and kicking the trim with a few quiet thuds. Revali sighs and watches Link’s back for a few moments. The man sits peacefully, looking out at the forest far behind the castle. Though the night is clear, fog hangs over the forest and masks all but the tops of the dead, leafless trees.

Revali finally speaks to break the silence. “Why are you up here?” He’s been nothing but rude to the man, why would he _choose_ to be anywhere near him?

Link startles slightly and looks over his shoulder. His eyes scan Revali’s face, looking for something. Though Revali can’t imagine what. _“I could ask you the same thing.”_

“Which wouldn’t be answering _my_ question.”

 _“I sit up here sometimes. When we’re at the castle.”_ Oh. A real answer.

“Your precious princess doesn’t want to spend any time with you?” Revali pokes and prods, feeling a guilty satisfaction when it hits its mark. Link’s face twists slightly, his eyebrows furrowing with what Revali hopes is frustration.

 _“You’re well aware that she doesn’t.”_ His signs are quick and snappy with a bitter edge to them. His shoulders slump slightly, and he rubs his eyes. He looks weary. _“Sorry. I’ll take my leave.”_

“I couldn’t sleep.” Revali turns back around to stop facing Link. “It seems like the Hylians below can’t either.”

He tries to ignore the silence. Link takes a few quiet footsteps behind him. He gets closer to Revali before finally sitting next to him. _“It’s never quiet.”_

“I wouldn’t stay here the night if I didn’t have another choice, of course.”

Link snorts, _“Of course not.”_

Silence persists once more, though it’s not a tense one this time. He wouldn’t call this comfortable, necessarily, but… It could be worse, perhaps. A group of sunset fireflies drift up to the roof, floating in the air around Link and Revali. Link holds up a hand and one of the bugs lands on his palm. His face glows a soft yellow green under the firefly’s light.

“For the chosen knight of the Goddess, or whatever your title is, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use that sword of yours.”

 _“It’s not a toy.”_ Link raises an eyebrow. _“Or are you implying that I can’t wield it?”_

“I would _never._ I’m an honorable Champion—”

_“Who doesn’t think I deserve my position.”_

Revali feigns surprise. “Now, who said that?”

Link lets the firefly float out of his hand and back to its swarms, then draws his sword from its sheath with a metallic _shwink!_ He holds it close to his own face, pausing and seemingly nodding at it like it was a person. Then, with cold blue eyes, he looks up at Revali and raises up his sword.

Revali flinches in response, fully expecting at least a false swing, if not a real one. Instead of feeling any sharp contact on himself, he feels soft vibrations as Link plunges the sword a few inches into the roof. He opens his eyes to see his reflection in the white metal of the Goddess’ sword.

“Oh, vandalism, how charming.” Revali says with a shaky voice, still taken aback by the suddenness of the movement. He tries to wipe the shock off his face, checking his reflection covertly.

 _“Take it.”_ The Hylian moves back a little, giving him space to take the sword if he would choose to do so. _“If you don’t think I should be where I am, take it. Prove me wrong.”_ He raises his hands and gestures to the purple hilt of the sword.

“Please, I’m not going to just so you can win an argument—”

 _“Now, who said I was doing it to win an argument?”_ Link mimics Revali’s earlier choice of words with just a hint of a smirk.

“You’re quite insufferable.” But extremely intriguing. Being one-on-one with him has painted an entirely different picture of the man. It’s still an unclear picture, but one that’s certainly piqued his interest.

 _“I guess it’s one of my many talents.”_ Link removes his sword silently from the roof and sheaths it once more. He inhales slowly with his teeth clenched, rubbing his boot over the damage he caused to the roof. He scratches the back of his neck and winces as he surveys the damage.

“I suppose it’s lucky that being the appointed knight doesn’t make you protector of the castle as well.” Link runs a hand through his hair, scrunching it up in embarrassment as Revali removes a newly loosened roof shingle. “Unless there are more specifications for your employment than are obvious.”

_“Destruction of royal property might be frowned upon regardless.”_

Revali laughs a little at that and jokes, “Maybe Mipha could heal it.” He sets the shingle aside and picks at the small hole Link created. He stares at Revali with slightly widened eyes. “It’s a _joke_.”

 _“I know.”_ Link signs quick and purses his lips. _“I didn’t expect you to joke with me.”_

“Lucky again. I’m in a good mood tonight.” And it’s true for once. “Talking with you – well, sort of – was more pleasant than expected.”

Link snorts and shakes his head, _“What a compliment.”_ He sits back down and lets his sheathed sword rest across his lap. _“I can **say** the same.”_

Revali stands up and dusts himself off. “I believe that’s enough for me tonight. I… wouldn’t hate it if this happened again. Maybe.”

 _“Good luck getting some rest.”_ Instead of standing up, Link lays back against the roof and looks up from Revali to the sky, watching the countless stars.

Revali glides down to the stone path below without a goodbye, feeling an odd sense of familiarity as he leaves. Who would’ve guessed that another Hylian could be remotely entertaining? Even _Link_ , out of all of them.

Hylian beds aren’t exactly _comfortable_ for a Rito, but he doesn’t have much struggle sleeping. Hopefully they gave Mipha a small bath to rest in. Not having a hammock is one thing but housing a Zora without water is just cruel.


	22. Link

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw// injuries, deadly situations (but everyone's fine), inadvisable medical treatment

Okay. It’s a big desert and the princess is lost. Link isn’t panicking one bit. He’s panicking a lot of bits.

When Link awoke in the early morning and sat up from his bed in the Kara Kara Bazaar inn, he expected to see Zelda sleeping peacefully in the bunk below him. What he _instead_ saw was an empty bed, disheveled, and the princess’s pack gone. He can at least be certain she left on her own and wasn’t hurt… At least at first. Who’s to say how long she’s been gone. The desert’s heat took a lot out of Link, so when he was sure Zelda was safe under the protection of Gerudo soldiers, he fell asleep almost immediately as the sun was setting.

He can’t check Gerudo Town. Urbosa was supposed to be meeting them outside the gates; Link, being a _voe_ , isn’t allowed within the city’s walls. He respects tradition but how can he fulfill his role as Zelda’s protector if she’s hiding somewhere Link cannot reach? He takes a few deep breaths to steady his nerves.

Link exits the inn – _Goddess, the sun’s heat is unbearable_ – and begins asking nearby soldiers if they’ve seen the princess. None of the women have useful information and Link wants to scream in frustration.

And then Link _actually_ hears screaming. Zelda is screaming.

Link sprints out into the open desert without a second thought and scans the area as quickly as he can, looking for any sign of movement. Just there, between rocks and behind a sand dune – the princess is running for her life from three Yiga soldiers. He’s sure he’s never moved faster than he is now; one thought and one thought only passes through his mind: _Protect Zelda._

Before their circular blades can touch the princess, Link intercepts it with a blow from the Master Sword. The Yiga soldier flips back, disappearing into a whooshing cloud of orange light. He knows the fight isn’t over. The desert remains still and tense while he waits for his enemy to rematerialize. An electric darner buzzes near Link’s ear, causing his hair to frizz up with static electricity.

Then, he hears the same whooshing noise to his left and he swings his sword with precision, striking the Yiga soldier just as they reappear. But not before the others shoot two arrows into Link’s side. The Yiga soldier he hit yells out in pain and flips back, disappearing for good, or at least until they heal their wounds. Link inhales sharply as the pain hits him, but all he cares about is if Zelda is okay.

He looks for her form in the sand, and there she is, cowering behind a nearby rock. Fear rests in all her features, twisting her face into an expression of worry when she sees Link’s wounds. But she looks okay.

 _“Are you hurt?”_ Link kneels down to be at Zelda’s eye level but keeps a comfortable distance from her.

“Me? What about you?!” Zelda says incredulously. She gets closer to examine his wound, but he waves his hand in dismissal. The pain isn’t that bad.

_“I’ll be fine.”_

“You were shot! With _two_ arrows! You will not simply be _fine_ , Link.” She looks at him disapprovingly, like a mother berating her child out of worry. “I’m sure I have a few potions in my pack—” she removes her bag from her shoulders and begins rummaging through its contents. She pulls out a small glass bottle with decorative wings, filled with a shimmering pink liquid that glows faintly in the light of the sun. “Here! I made it myself.” Zelda smiles, proud of herself.

_“You should save that—”_

“For what?! This is the exact situation I’ve kept it for, don’t be so stupidly selfless.” She looks down to his arrow wounds and then back up his face apologetically. “Those are going to have to come out.”

Link grimaces at the idea but nods before gripping one of the arrows. The slight jolt makes him inhale sharply at the new blossom of pain. Zelda places a hand on his with a feather light touch. “You must be gentle with it.”

Link nods again and closes his eyes before starting to work the arrow out. His jaw clenches at the pain and he vaguely hears Zelda uncork the fairy tonic in preparation. The moment the first arrow comes out, relief washes over the puncture wound. He opens his eyes to see Zelda with shaky hands, pouring the tonic on the injury. She remains outwardly calm and focused.

“The second one, now. You’re nearly there.”

The next arrow is more excruciating, but Zelda’s gentle motivations helps him continue. It’s the kindest she’s been to him for the months he’s known her. He’d be happy if it hadn’t been preceded by Zelda running away from him while he was sleeping, or if he wasn’t in pain.

Link’s pain fades away once more with the last of the tonic. _“Thank you, princess.”_ He does his best attempt at a bow, despite kneeling at eye level with her anyways. The sand is bright, and his eyes are forced closed against the light.

“…Of course.” She stands up and holds out a hand to Link. “I’ll need to mend your tunic.” She looks away from him, her tone apathetic once more. Link looks up, a little shocked. He takes her hand anyways, thankful for the unnecessary assistance. And then he stumbles forward. So, maybe not-so-unnecessary assistance.

Zelda doesn’t say anything. Instead, she offers an arm as support without being so obvious.

The walk back is quiet. Not uncomfortable, though, outside the desert’s unrelenting heat. Link can’t understand how the princess is thinking in the moment. If she’s going to go back to hating him in just a few moments. He hopes not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for waiting <3 things are slightly hectic rn and im trying to write some more chapters when im feeling up for it!


	23. Revali

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: fighting/battle

For some reason, Revali’s never been particularly fond of traveling. Maybe he has some attachment to his home, or maybe he just doesn’t like dealing with all the hassle and packing.

Regardless, he decides to go visit Mipha. A day of annoying travel is worth checking in on a friend.

Unfortunately, it seems Zelda had the same idea. And if she’s here, that means Link is, too. It could be worse.

They haven’t exactly talked since that night at the castle – he’s not eager to be all chummy with Link, but a few short conversations may be alright. And if Mipha will be preoccupied with the princess’s company, what else is Revali supposed to do? He refuses to make the journey back to Rito Village without having stayed more than a day or two.

While walking to find Mipha, he runs into Link – literally. He was, apparently, admiring the architecture of the city. Walking and having your head in the clouds is a recipe for disaster, and Revali got a little taste of it. Revali trips and lands with a pathetic splash, soaking himself through on the shallow waters of the city’s floors.

When Revali wipes the water out of his eyes and can see again, Link is bright red and holding out a hand to help him up. He signs _“sorry”_ with his other hand, and Revali rolls his eyes, standing up on his own.

“I’m _fine_.” He sighs, frustrated. “Just completely drenched, thanks to you.”

 _“I would have expected you to be more prepared for the climate of the area.”_ Link raises an eyebrow, face remaining neutral.

“Yes, I did.” In what could perhaps be classified as a petty move, Revali waves his wings to dry off, splashing Link in the process. Before he can sign in protest, Revali interrupts. “Did you _really_ not prepare for the climate?”

 _“Funny.”_ If Revali wasn’t watching carefully, he might have missed the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I like to think I am.”

Splashing footsteps approach from the central palace. Zelda and Mipha walk together, talking amongst themselves. Zelda says something and Mipha laughs shyly, covering her mouth with her hand. She looks ahead and locks eyes with Revali, then gasps. “Revali? You did not let me know you would be visiting!”

“I would say I thought you might want a break from your training, but it seems—you already _have_ company.” He looks to Zelda for just a second before looking back at his friend, who’s turned an even brighter shade of red than she normally is.

“Well I—we were—”

“Planning to investigate the ancient technology near the Domain.” Zelda chimes in happily.

“Yes, but as I had been saying—There’s a Lynel on Shatterback Point. We’ve been trying to organize efforts to defeat it, but I fear it may be too dangerous to approach currently.” Mipha rocks back and forth on her feet, clearly deliberating strategies in her head and weighing previous discussions and decisions.

 _“I can handle it.”_ Link’s face is focused and his posture is more… aggressive. Ready for a fight.

“Don’t be stupid. You can’t handle a Lynel alone. I don’t care how magical your darkness-sealing sword is.” Revali waves his wing, feeling annoyed as water drops from his feathers, making a splash on the floor.

“I would be more comfortable if you allowed Revali to assist you, Link.” Zelda’s voice is kinder than he’s ever heard it directed at Link – not one ounce of hatred can be found in her words. Interesting.

Link gives a small nod, completely obedient, and looks to Revali. _“Are you prepared?”_

\--

As it turns out, the answer to that should have been no. Almost immediately upon arriving at the peak, the Lynel breathes fire and catches some of Revali’s feathers alight. Maybe that’s what he gets for being cocky. But the Lynel is going to get much worse in payback.

It doesn’t seem that way at _first_ , because it charges forward at Revali, assessing the larger figure as the bigger threat. He’d be honored if it wasn’t so life threatening. Before it makes contact, he flies into the air, narrowly missing its sharp horns. In one fluid motion, Revali pulls out his bow and shoots several arrows. They fly straight, piercing the Lynel’s hide and causing it to release a deafening roar.

It spins around, massive hooves slamming into the waterlogged ground aggressively. Link cautiously approaches behind it, dealing an uncountable number of blows in a second.

The Lynel pulls out its bow and creates some distance between itself and Link, readying three arrows. Revali dives down to try to distract its aim, landing on his feet briefly to give it a somewhat steady target. And for a moment, he thinks it works.

But the Lynel doesn’t aim at Revali. It lets loose three shock arrows behind him. _Link._ For a few brief moments, time slows to a crawl. The electricity of the arrows crackles through the air, sparks jumping from the metal tip. Now would be a perfect time to strike, while the Lynel is distracted—but they’re not known to miss and Link couldn’t possibly avoid all three.

Impulsively, Revali darts back, lifting Link into the air with a gust of wind. A little hurt from a fall is much less worse than even one shock arrow in the chest, after all. One of the arrows passes right by Revali’s head as he circles Link, flying up, sending a small but mostly harmless jolt through him and tearing through the fabric of his scarf. He pretends that the shiver in his spine is because of that, and not because he was imagining what would have happened had Link been shot with it.

A brief moment of shock passes through Link’s features, but in a split second he has his bow drawn. He lets loose two arrows in quick succession, stunning the Lynel briefly. It roars and stumbles forward, and Link lands on his feet, boots sinking slightly into the mud. He takes off at full speed, splashing through the water of recent rain and – Revali can’t quite believe it – jumps onto the beast’s back, dealing several quick blows behind its head. Instead of standing there like a baffled fool, he shoots at the Lynel, helping where he can without hitting Link.

Soon enough, Link backflips off the Lynel – _showoff_ – and doesn’t quite land on his feet this time. It was a stupid risk that luckily paid off. The Lynel roars as it collapses, defeated in just a few brief moments. Link watches, giving a small fist bump to the air in excitement.

“That was so _stupidly_ arrogant—”

 _“It worked, though.”_ Link signs, still sitting in the mud he fell into after his dismount. A small, stupid grin has made a home on his face.

“If you get fried by a Lynel, don’t come looking to me for help next time.” Revali scoffs, still just a bit frazzled from the adrenaline. He’s not completely used to _real_ fights yet. Sure, the odd bokoblin here and there, but a Lynel is something else.

Link stands up and grimaces when he realizes just how thoroughly covered in mud he is.

“How dignified!” Revali snorts.

 _“Come here, I’ll help you match.”_ Link bends down and scoops up a handful of mud, a devilish look in his eyes. He takes a small step forward, egging Revali on.

“Don’t you _dare_.” He squawks and takes a few steps back. Getting soaked is one thing, but mud is so _uncomfortable_ to clean up.

And surprisingly, Link stops. _“Behind you—”_

“Oh, very clever,” He keeps walking backwards, eyes focused on the childish little Hylian in front of him. “I’ll turn around to look and then you’ll—eep!” Despite his best efforts to remain unblemished, he unceremoniously trips on a root he didn’t see and plummets to the ground. “You could have _mentioned!!”_

 _“Like you would’ve believed me anyways.”_ Link washes his hands off quickly in a relatively clean puddle and splashes his way to Revali. _“Need some help up this time?”_

“Yes, actually.”

Link looks shocked, but holds out a hand. In one swift motion, Revali takes his hand and pulls him down into the mud next to him. This does, infuriatingly, splash more mud onto himself, but Link is completely covered now so the pros outweigh the cons.

 _“I don’t think I deserved that.”_ Link scrapes mud off his face and spits out some that got into his mouth. Must taste awful.

“Maybe not.” Revali stands up and straightens his back in a futile attempt to seem professional. He turns to walk away but looks back at Link in case he tries anything.

_“Where are you going?”_

“To wash myself off! I’m not going to stay covered in _dirt_. I’m not a Goron.” He sighs, “I suppose you’re all brawn and no brain.”

 _“Maybe. Better than neither.”_ Link jogs to catch up with Revali. Thankfully, no mud is thrown and neither of them trip on the way down to the waterfall at the cliff’s edge. Link takes a running jump before diving off into the deep pond the waterfall drains into. Absolutely no hesitation whatsoever.

Revali, being leagues more _sane_ than the Goddess’s chosen hero, gently glides down and lands gracefully into the water. By the time he arrives, Link’s removed the sword and shield from his back and his boots from his feet. Revali sets his bow and quiver down on the rocks next to his belongings and delicately begins to rinse himself off. Compared to Link, who is swimming under the waterfall in a thoroughly baffling attempt to clean off his clothing.

Even the shallow parts of the pond are waist-high for Link, and he has to trudge through them like a toddler learning to walk. His face is completely obscured by his hair, drenched and longer than Revali expected.

“You’re truly the pinnacle of a refined knight. The highest caliber.” Revali snarks, shaking off his feathers.

 _“I’m taking that as a completely sincere compliment with no sarcasm whatsoever.”_ Link signs, his hair still covering his face. He imitates a dog shaking its fur to dry off, spraying water everywhere and flipping his hair around him; stray strands and locks stick sporadically across his face. His pointed ears stick out, water droplets falling from their tips.

“Again, brawn and no brain.”

_“Thank you.”_

“That wasn’t a compliment—”

_“Not for that. For helping me not get electrocuted.”_

“Oh.” Revali stands up, hanging his bow on his back again. “It’s not like we can defeat Ganon without your silly little sword. Who knows how all this ridiculous prophecy nonsense works? Maybe the Goddess wouldn’t choose anyone new—”

 _“You’re allowed to just say ‘you’re welcome’.”_ Link elbows him casually, walking back down the path to Zora’s Domain. He ties his hair back haphazardly into a ponytail. About half of it falls out, too short to reach.

“…you’re welcome.”


	24. Link

Though Zelda and Link understand each other now, she’s has still requested that he give her time with her childhood friend. If Mipha wasn’t a Champion, he might not have agreed, but he trusts her to protect the princess if the need arises.

This does mean, however, he spends his time just patrolling the city. He tries to avoid Revali, not wanting to bother the man. Revali finds him anyways. This time, Link is standing at the edge of the Eastern Reservoir, watching the water gently drift with the wildlife swimming beneath the surface for a quiet moment. His hand rests on his sword, aware of the noise approaching behind him.

_“Revali.”_

When Link turns around, Revali looks shocked. “How could you possibly know it was me?”

_“There aren’t any other Rito here and your talons make a pretty distinct noise.”_

“Hmph.”

_“Were you… trying to sneak up on me?”_

“No!”

_“No need to get your feathers ruffled, I was only asking a question.”_

“Aren’t you just thoroughly insufferable.”

Link closes his eyes and inhales softly, trying not to get his hopes up for any positive interaction with Revali. _“I’m going to train. You can watch, if you’d like, but—"_

“There’s nothing better to do.” He casually takes a seat at the edge of the reservoir, dipping a talon in.

Link notices a tear in Revali’s scarf, the blue fabric marked with burns around some of its edges. When did that happen?

Trying to ignore it, he walks over to the few training dummies Zelda requested for their time here. He hasn’t gotten the opportunity to use them yet, and it would feel rude not to. A mix of wood, metal, and cloth makes up the humanoid shapes, not a cut or dent on them. Yet.

Every time Link turns his head to look behind him, Revali is watching attentively. It’s always just enough to throw him off rhythm, breaking his stance or taking a poorly aimed swing. He sets his sword aside for just a moment, completing a few different stretching exercises Impa taught him. It’s not that he never used to stretch, he’s just a little too impatient for it. It is however, a good way to pretend his training mistakes aren’t due to some social anxiety.

He still hears Revali chuckle, though.

As the sun begins to set, Link can feel his strength begin to dwindle. Any further training wouldn’t be helpful, not if it impedes his ability to perform in a real fight.

“Taking a break already?” Revali asks as Link sheaths his sword. He’s breathing heavily, thankful for the cool breeze of the day. He’s less thankful for Revali’s judgmental conversations, but it’s not the worst. At least he stayed! And he’s _talking_.

_“How is **your** training?”_

“It’s going extremely well, thank you for asking in a completely innocent and kindhearted way. I’d say I’m creating the strongest bond with my Divine Beast.” Revali puffs up his chest, proud of himself.

 _“I don’t see why the Divine Beasts aren’t capable of defeating Ganon themselves.”_ Link sits down on the edge of the reservoir next to Revali.

Revali recoils with surprise, mouth agape. “You wield that sword and you question its power and your role?”

 _“All the ancient technology seems so much more… grand. Can it really only be playing a supporting role? With so many people giving their lives to save the world, you’d think the outcome wouldn’t solely rest on whether or not Zelda and I,”_ he uses an informal nickname sign for Zelda, and hesitates slightly, worried Revali will pick up on it, “— _can fulfill our duty. It seems like… an odd celebrity status.”_

“If you’re simply uncomfortable with the attention—” Revali’s voice has a harsh, almost angry edge to it.

_“That’s not it.”_

“So, what _is_ it?”

 _“So many people have given their lives, and if I die or fail to protect the princess, it’s all over. Hyrule, gone.”_ Link takes a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He thinks about his father, working so hard to protect everyone from Ganon’s minions. How, if he hadn’t died, Link may have never found the sword in the first place. _“If fate can pick the right people, why can it not turn the odds in our favor without us having to worry? Too many things had to go right and **wrong** for us to be where we are.”_

“Take control of your own life. Defeat Ganon, knowing you can and must. Who cares about fate? For all we know, all this prophecy nonsense could be fake. Ganon may never return in our lives. Maybe there’s no such think as a destined power, or a sword that seals that darkness.” Revali leans forward against his knees, looking away from Link. “Destiny has no bearing on my abilities. I have no inherited power, no ancestral rights to my position. I’ve worked, and I know there’s nothing stopping me from succeeding. I find it hard to believe that the pressure of all this is getting to _you_ , of all people.”

Link wants to be Arryl again. Not the young girl who hadn’t experienced the world, but instead that person who grew up in the Rito Village, friend to Maizli and Revali. He wants to express his pride in his friend, the man who created something never before accomplished among his people. But he can’t. Not in any meaningful way, at least. He can try.

_“Hyrule is lucky to have you.”_

Revali looks from Link’s hands to his face, then squints suspiciously. “An interesting time to learn how to joke.”

Link rolls his eyes. _“I’m being serious.”_

“Oh. Well…” Revali sits up straight again and smooths out his feathers. They pop back up again and Link tries his hardest not to smile, knowing that Revali is flattered. “I suppose that means a lot. I… Thanks.”

Link elbows him playfully, kicking his feet in the water. _“I **suppose** you’re welcome.”_

“Ugh, you’re lucky I have a soft spot for dumb Hylians.”

Link face heats up at the soft honesty of the statement, masked by a meaningless insult. Some small part of him feels guilty. Is it disingenuous to befriend Revali now, knowing he’s hiding his past with the Rito? If Revali found out, what would he _think_? What would he _do?_

“You’re supposed to insult me back so this doesn’t get _weird._ ”

 _“Oh, right. Sorry.”_ Link laughs silently and rolls his eyes, _“You’re lucky I have a soft spot for skilled Rito.”_

Revali squawks and involuntarily fluffs up his feathers in embarrassment, “That’s not an insult!”

_“I’m just a dumb Hylian, I don’t know any better.”_

“Can you swim?’

Link tilts his head, a little confused. _“Of course I can.”_

“Good.” Without missing a beat, Revali shoves him forward into the water. Its warmth only lingers on the surface, and is in fact, quite cold just a foot or so down. “It’s a shame the hero of Hyrule is so clumsy.” A smug grin spreads across Revali’s face, happy that he’s made a menace of himself. Link treads water with an equally stupid smile on his own face. He can’t stop himself from laughing even though it hurts. His scratchy, unused voice is barely audible over the splashing. Revali’s smile fades, replaced by something Link can’t place. All he knows is that it makes him feel warm despite the cold.

When he finally composes himself, he drags himself out of the water with aching muscles. A breeze picks up and makes him shiver, goosebumps forming on his arms under his soaked sleeves. Laughter can only keep the cold away for so long. Or for so short.

“Is it really _that_ cold?”

 _“I don’t have the luxury of warm feathers, Revali.”_ He tries to wring some of the water out from the edge of his tunic. A measly amount of water drops to the ground and he realizes it’s going to take a while for him to dry off. It’s certainly not going to happen just standing here.

“Killing you via hypothermia was _not_ my intention.” Revali stands up and brushes the few drops of water that dripped onto him.

 _“For all I know, you have a soft spot for dumb, frozen Hylians.”_ Link bumps against him jokingly, hoping the teasing isn’t too much.

“Incredibly insufferable,” Revali says; but he’s smiling.

 _“I need to dry off or you’ll need to find a new hero.”_ Link rubs his arms, trying to warm himself up as he walks back down to the Domain. Behind him, Revali soars into the sky and past him, the gust of wind sending a fresh chill through Link. He speeds up, a little more desperate for the warmth of a fire. Zelda and Mipha won’t be back for a few more hours, so he should be okay just taking a little time.

As Link descends the stairs to the city, each step fades away and he retreats into his thoughts. Even if the prophecy itself holds no innate truth, something is definitively stirring in Hyrule. The world needs him, Zelda, the other Champions. He might want to enjoy life beyond fighting, beyond protecting, but this _is_ his purpose. For now, at least.

Sooner than expected, Link finds himself at the room he and Zelda have been staying in the past few days. And in it is Revali, stoking a small fire to life with his back to the door. Link clears his throat, trying not to sneak up on him. Regardless, he whips around, surprised to see Link here.

_“You know this is my room, right?”_

“Is it? My mistake. I’ll be leaving now.” Revali makes a beeline for the door, passing Link by without any eye contact, clearly embarrassed. Link reaches a hand out to stop him before he’s gone.

_“Thank you.”_

“I don’t know what you’re thanking me for. But, you’re welcome. I suppose.” He delicately removes Link’s hand from his wing, lingering for a moment longer than necessary, and takes his leave.

With a small smile, Link changes out of his soaked clothes and hangs them up to dry. The fire helps warm him up. Though it was hardly necessary, it’s very appreciated. In the few moments he’s bare-chested, Link rolls the beads of his necklace – now many years old – between his fingers, comforted by the memories they hold. Revali’s feather rests comfortably on the leather string, providing an odd mix of joy and sadness. Before anyone else can come in and ask about what’s happened, Link pulls on a dry undershirt, hiding the necklace beneath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a bit more written ahead of this but I keep finding myself going back and adding stuff on chapters I've finished writing :,))) oh, the woes of being indecisive


	25. Revali

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for gravesites and mourning

Finally, after two days Mipha has a few moments to spare.

“So, you and the princess?”

Mipha tilts her head in confusion for a second before her eyes widen in realization, “Oh, no no no. It’s not the… right time. I can’t tell her, she’s so focused on other things—”

“What if there’s never a right time, Mipha? You have to take the things you want.”

“What about you and Link?”

Revali blinks and feels his beak drop open in shock. “What?”

“Are you two not…”

“Of course not! What would make you think—How could you possibly expect—In what world—” Mipha just raises her eyebrows and waits, arms crossed. Revali rubs a wing over his face in defeat, only after a few seconds of judgmental silence. “Is it _obvious?_ ”

Much to his dismay, Mipha hesitates. “No, but…”

“But…?”

“There’s just a little… rumor.”

Revali groans and drags his hands down his face, “Perfect.”

Mipha rests a hand on his shoulder and smiles faintly. “It’s not something to be _ashamed of_ , Revali.”

“I’m not _ashamed_. I simply… don’t think it’s the. Right time for any of this.”

She taps her cheek with a finger, amused. “Not the right time?”

“You’ve loved the princess for _years_ , I don’t even know if this is what _this_ is.” He waves his hands, annoyed at his confusing feelings. “I hated him! Hate him? I don’t _know_.”

“People change.”

“ _He_ hasn’t.”

“I was talking about you.” Mipha laughs a little and elbows him.

“I knew that.”

“Mhm.” She smiles and leans against the railing, arms resting comfortably against its cool metal. Her jewelry clinks against it; the closest thing he’s heard to music in days.

“He doesn’t have any reason to even be friendly with me.” He doesn’t need to elaborate. He’s been rude to Link from the first day they met. ‘Rude’ isn’t even harsh enough to describe the treatment he gave the man. That night on the roof was the first time their interactions could have been described as positive.

“Starting a fire for him to come back to sounds like a reason.” Mipha gives a nonchalant, innocent smile as though the sentence she just said wasn’t in the least bit embarrassing for Revali. “And judging by your reaction, I would assume the rumors are true.”

He groans and leans back against the bench, dramatizing his agony but only exaggerating how he feels _slightly_. How much of an embarrassment can he be?

“If you don’t want to talk about this—”

“I didn’t bring it up!” Revali squawks, but realizes he quite rudely interrupted and apologizes before letting her continue speaking.

“I need to train with Ruta. If you have any pointers you could share, that would be wonderful.” She doesn’t need any pointers, she’s just trying to make Revali feel useful. She smiles and begins walking toward her Divine Beast, only just visible in the distance. He could certainly fly there faster, but that would take away from the brief time he has left in the Domain. If only he was better about putting his childish feelings into words, then maybe this would have been a productive conversation for the both of them. As it stands, the only thing either of them gained was a slight understanding of the other’s crush. _Ugh, I’m calling it a crush now. Am I really that much of a child, still?_

Ruta’s interior is filled with water, which in hindsight makes sense, considering it was built to honor the Zora princess so long ago. Mipha tiptoes along the edge of the main basin with the practiced grace of a nimble warrior.

A quiet rumble fills the room and Mipha turns to Revali, nodding her head toward the Beast’s main terminal. “It seems Ruta wishes to greet you.”

What may be abnormal to someone who hasn’t heard a Divine Beast speak is relatively normal for Revali, or at least not unexpected. He bows, though he can’t understand her version of speech. Maybe the link is mental; the trials they endured somehow bonding them to the Beasts in a way they’ll never know. “Thank you for the hospitality.”

Ruta lurches backwards, spilling and splashing ice cold water onto his clothes and running off his feathers. Mipha holds back her laughter politely, but it seems that Ruta is not going to spare him the embarrassment. Her internal mechanisms make a rumbling noise, almost similar to Medoh’s but not _quite_. He can only assume it’s laughter. Are all the Divine Beasts so mischievous?

“She wants you to know that there’s no need to be overly polite, though _I_ do think there were better ways of expressing that sentiment.”

“If I complain, will she do it again?” He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms, pointedly looking over to the glowing blue terminal.

“Most definitely.”

“Thank you for the _warning_ , Ruta.” He huffs, but smiles.

“Niceties won’t matter when Ganon attacks, she just wants to _prepare_ us.” Mipha smiles and shakes her head happily, clearly amused by her Beast’s antics. But a new nervousness forms in Revali’s gut, afraid he’s spent too much time away from home and neglecting his duty of protector.

He runs a hand through his braids, trying to appear nonchalant. “I should leave soon. I’ve had enough time to recharge.”

“Stay one more night, at least. I’ve barely gotten to see you.” Mipha frowns slightly, unable to mask her disappointment.

“There will be more than enough time after we defeat Ganon. What’s a few years of training? I’ve been working my entire life. It would be nice to… live in a safer world.”

“Maybe we’ll all be able to be together after. Without having to worry about powers or roles or duty.” She clasps her hands together and looks at nothing in the distance. The bright future, perhaps.

“We will.”

Mipha stays with her Divine Beast as Revali leaves to gather his small pack of things. The hammock in his room, kindly acquired by Mipha, sways gently in the breeze of the open room. It’s easy to unhook from its mounts on the wall; he folds it and leaves it on the small table nearby. It doesn’t take long to gather his things: a spare quiver of arrows, a change of clothes, and some dried fruit for travelling. Taking stock of what he has is more of a mental exercise, but—it seems it was necessary. He’s missing his _scarf._ When could he possibly have misplaced it?

Hurried footsteps splash up behind him, turning to gentle clicking of heels as they reach the stairs to the room. “Champion Revali, I’m so glad I caught you!”

He sets down his pack and turns around. “Princess.” His eyes flick past her as Link runs to catch up with Zelda, back to his serious self.

She rummages through a small bag at her waist, next to the odd piece of Sheikah tech linked to her belt. To his surprise, she retrieves _his_ scarf. He tilts his head and squints his eyes, thinking of how it ended up in her possession.

“Link mentioned it needed repairs—” She turns it over in her hands, showing the near-invisible patchwork. “—it’s still not perfect, but it’s the best I could do for now.”

“Hm. I would have appreciated some _notice_ , but… thank you.” He bows his head slightly, genuinely impressed at the stitching.

Zelda smiles warmly, “Good luck.” She turns around quickly, grabbing Link’s hand for a brief moment. Knowing how she treated him the last time Revali saw them, this is certainly a sight to behold. Before they get too far away, Link taps Zelda’s arm and she releases him with an apologetic smile.

_“Revali.”_

There’s something casual about the name sign Link has decided to give him. He ignores the small happiness that gives him. “Did you stop to simply say my name, or?”

Link gives him a deadpan look, letting the comment hang for a second before continuing. _“Don’t wear yourself out. It’s a long journey back home.”_

“Oh. Well. Thank you. And… for the scarf.” He holds up the scarf as though Link hadn’t seen it. “Don’t be stupid around any other lynels.”

 _“I won’t make any promises.”_ Zelda slaps his arm gently and he turns a little red, _“I’ll be more careful.”_

Revali wishes the trip back was more eventful so he wasn’t stuck with his stupid little thoughts. Hopes for everything to turn out okay, but the fear that something he can’t expect will happen.

On his way back to the village, he passes the old cabin. And the graves. A pink-feathered Rito woman kneels in front of them. As much as he might want to _try_ , he can’t just sneak by her.

He coughs awkwardly. “Maizli.”

She turns back to look at him for just a second before putting her attention back to the graves. “I’ll be gone in a few minutes.”

“No, take your time.”

“Right. It’s not like you visit her anyways.” Her words are like a knife to the gut, but she’s not wrong. Revali takes a deep breath, frozen in place with indecision and anxiety.

“Is it… too late to start?”

Maizli turns around again, but this time actually _looks_ at him. His feathers start prickling up and he tries smoothing them out to no avail. Her stare pierces through him, judgment built up over years sharpening her gaze. Then, the anger behind her eyes fades. Not replaced by warmth or happiness, just less intense. A wary welcome. She pats her hand on the ground next to her. “I guess not.”

Quietly, he kneels next to her, unsure of what to do. “How long have you been home?”

“A few days. I didn’t want to stay away too long.”

“The village missed you.”

“How would you know? You’re never _here_ either.”

He looks away awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “I…”

“No, I’m sorry. That’s not fair.” She looks up to the sky as Medoh roars overhead, circling the vast blue above the village. “You have bigger things to do.”

“I think it’s fair to say we’ve _all_ moved on from home.” He traces the words engraved on the stones in front of them. It still hurts to imagine her dead somewhere in Hyrule, never found.

“But my heart is still here. Where’s yours?” Maizli’s words lack bitterness, it’s not intended to be an attack on him even if it feels that way.

He opens his mouth to speak, but stops himself. He doesn’t _know_. He’s planned his entire life around being the best, and in recent years, protecting Hyrule _as_ one of its best. After he’s not needed, what will he do? By the time he has any idea of what he wants to say, the moment feels like it’s passed.

“I never really knew her that last year, not really. Something changed, I think. And I was just too childish to understand. What a way to grow up, huh?” She laughs, exhausted and humorless.

“You can’t possibly be blaming yourself for anything.” Revali turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

She shakes her head, plucking at the grass at their feet. “A little, maybe. But… there’s no way I could have helped. Things happen as they will, no matter what we wish and what we hope to change.”

“Oddly poetic.”

“I’m a _bard!_ If _I’m_ not poetic, who else is supposed to be?” She smiles, a nice change from the morbid feeling of the moment.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Revali finds himself smiling. He spent his entire life ignoring Maizli because he thought she was annoying but maybe he was just too stupidly arrogant and stubborn. Wanting to continue the optimism of the moment, he makes what could be considered an impulsive decision.

“I have something I think you’d appreciate more than I do.”

“What is it?” She perks up right away, interested at the promise of a gift.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait to find out.” His muscles ache slightly as he stands up once more. He reaches a wing out to try to help Maizli up, but she’s already jumped to her feet with excitement. She takes his hand anyways and instead starts to drag him up to the village.

In a few moments, they’re outside Revali’s home.

“Wait here for a _second_.” He holds up his wings and laughs a little, stepping into his home for the first time in days. Much of the surfaces in his small home are covered in a small layer of dust from a lack of use. The area around his hammock is clean, though the rest of the room is in disarray. The dresser squeaks softly as he opens it, finding what he was looking for. He holds the white fabric in his hands for the first time in years, freeing it from its hiding place in his room and in his mind. His eyes force themselves away from it and back to Maizli. Almost robotically, he holds out the scarf to her.

“Revali…” She gasps and take it from him gingerly, as though it was made of glass. “Are you… sure?”

“Keep it. Please.” His voice cracks, barely audible. He doesn’t want to keep this. It’s only memories. Memories can last forever, but some of them he doesn’t want to be reminded of. Look to the future, not the past. She pulls him into a hug, making him startle a little. He lets it linger for a moment before pulling away, looking anywhere but at her. “I… have to get back to Medoh.”

“Thank you.”

Revali just nods, stepping backwards before rocketing himself upward and away. He can’t fix the past wrongs with Maizli, but he can try to mend the wounds.


	26. Zelda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for gender feelings

The Shrine of Power remains still. Zelda looks up at the statue of Hylia with tears rolling down her cheeks. Despair fills every ounce of her, terrified that she will never awaken the power that supposedly sleeps within her. She can’t shake the feeling that the Goddess’s statue is judging her. Waiting for her to prove _something. Anything._

She hears Link step into the water behind her and walk closer. “Please. Let me stay here longer. Maybe it will work this time.” Desperation bleeds into her pleas.

The current from Link’s movement splashes gently against Zelda’s already soaked traditional dress. He stops next to her and puts a hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly before signing. _“Take a break. It’s getting cold.”_ He holds out his hand to her with a sad look on his face. The moon sits high in the sky as the sun sets, casting a purple light over the two Hylians.

“I don’t _understand_.” Zelda covers her face with her hands, speaking quietly to mask her weepy voice.

Link walks in front of her to stand face-to-face, placing his hands gently on her shoulders once again. She buries her face against his chest, losing her ability to hold in her cries. He hugs her tightly without hesitation.

She lets Link lead her back to their camp on the stone path leading up to the shrine. The final rays of the sun disappear, letting the land be lit by the white glow of the full moon. Everything feels distant and out of reach. Link sits next to her once she’s dressed in dry clothes, having hung her soaked dress over the low-hanging branch of a nearby tree.

He strikes a piece of flint and the noise brings Zelda back into the moment. Soon enough, the timbers in a pile in front of them are a moderate campfire. Link turns to look at her with a small smile. The gesture fills her with more warmth than the brightest fire. She could never have predicted their friendship just a few _weeks_ ago, let alone months.

“I can’t say that I know--” Link begins to speak and interrupts himself with a cough, working through the scratchiness of his voice. “—what you’re going through exactly, but I understand.”

It’s not the first time he’s spoken around her. It only ever happens when they’re alone and it never lasts long.

“You don’t have to try to… comfort me. I know I treated you unfairly—”

“I want to.” Link’s expression is genuine, full of concern. He shifts to face Zelda completely. “My father was a knight. He never forced me to follow in his path, but I always thought he wanted me to.” He takes a deep breath and coughs again as his voice gets scratchier, exhausted from even this little use. “So, I worked and worked and when the world got more dangerous, I worked harder.”

“But… you accomplished what you worked for.”

Link shakes his head, “When my father died, I ran away. I lived on my own for a few years.” He looks off into the distance, taking a pause. Zelda wonders what he’s thinking about. “I retrieved my sword on chance. I was drawn to its resting place. I think your power will come to you on its own terms. When the time is right.” He reaches out to hold her hand, signing his next sentence. _“I believe in you.”_ His sign ends with clasping her hand with both of his.

“But what if I won’t have _any_ power? It’s traditionally passed through women in my family… and I wasn’t—I barely a toddler when I discovered my own identity. What if it doesn’t _count_ for women like me?”

_“The hero of legend, it’s always been a man, right?”_

Zelda tilts her head quizzically. “Yes, but I don’t see what—”

 _“Then I **know**_ _your power will awaken. I lived as a girl until I was fifteen. Finding the sword didn’t change anything about me. Your ancestors may have been like you, Zelda. If Hylia needs a different woman, she’s wrong.”_

She’s quiet for a moment, fighting back tears of relief. It’s never been a matter of acceptance, she’s never sought it because she’s always _had_ it. But having such definite evidence that disproves her strongest fears and doubts lifts a weight off her shoulders she didn’t realize was so heavy.

“…Thank you.” She sits up straight, fixing her hair and wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. She hopes to exude an official air – if she’s a princess, she has to keep her composure even in situations like these, right? “I’m honored to have your support and your friendship.”

Link laughs and scoots next to her again and before she realizes what’s happening, he’s giving her a side hug and ruffling her hair.

“H-hey!” Despite her protests she can’t stop herself from joining in with laughter. “I’m your _princess!_ Treat me with respect!”

Link is still smiling when Zelda pulls away to smooth out her hair with her fingers. For someone a few years older than her, he’s surprisingly childish. Sort of like an older brother.

Next week is her seventeenth birthday. Tomorrow, they’ll begin to head for Mount Lanayru. To the final spring of the three ancient spirits. She’s filled with a newfound hope that she’ll find her power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we are nearing the calamity, fellas........


	27. Revali

This is the first time all the Champions have been together since the dinner a few months back. Revali thinks it’s putting too much pressure on Zelda – whether or not anyone else is here isn’t going to change the outcome. It’s just going to upset her if it doesn’t work.

“So you didn’t feel anything? Nothing at all?” Even just a small scrap of _feeling_ could help her, maybe she’s ignoring it because it’s not some big grand thing.

She shakes her head no, not making eye contact with him. Urbosa steps forward and puts a hand on her shoulder delicately.

“So let’s move on. You’ve done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help. After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to finally seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that… thing.”

“That’s kind of you, thank you.” Zelda’s voice sounds far away and meek, disappointed in herself.

“If I may… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words… I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing.” Mipha takes a small step forward, clasping her hands in front of her. She’s really going to confess her love for Zelda now, in front of everyone? “You know, what usually goes through my mind. It helps when I think—when I think about—”

The earth beneath them shakes, and a loud roaring erupts from the northwest. Without hesitation, Revali soars into the air to scope out what’s happened. To his horror, a black and red cloud has opened over Hyrule Castle, where a dragon-like monster swarms around it like a wolf circling its prey. He gasps, unable to tear his eyes away for a few seconds before descending to the ground.

“It’s here.” Urbosa watches as Revali lands down with an alarmed expression.

“This is it, then.” Daruk pounds his fists together.

“Are you sure?” Mipha asks, already knowing the answer.

“Positive.” Revali affirms, though he wish he was wrong.

“It’s awake. Ganon!” Zelda looks as horrified as Revali feels.

“Let’s stop wasting time! We’re gonna need everything we got to take that thing down! Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault!” For once, Revali appreciates the overdramatic speech. “Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle.”

Link nods at Daruk confidently and steps closer to Zelda protectively.

“You can count on us for support, but it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!”

“Come. We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.”

“No! I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield… But there must… there must be _something_ I can do to help!”

“ _We’ll head to Fort Hateno and wait for you four to be ready. Like you said, we have to be unified. Give us a signal when you’re prepared.”_

Revali looks to Link, wanting to say something though he doesn’t know what. Link looks at him expectantly for a moment, then signs when he realizes Revali isn’t going to say anything. _“Give the castle a wide berth when you fly. We can’t do this without you and Medoh.”_ Then, in a move that surprises him, Link holds out his hand. Revali takes it without hesitation. Who cares about awkward social situations now? Fact is, they’re going to save the world and even if Link is star of the show, he needs the support of the Champions. _All_ the Champions.

Link pulls Revali in for a brief, one-armed hug and then pulls back just as quickly, looking away. Revali blinks, taken aback but not offended. Before he can respond to the not entirely unwelcome gesture, Urbosa interrupts.

“This isn’t a goodbye, we’re going to take that beast down!” Urbosa pulls Zelda into a hug, too, regardless of what she’s said. “Kick its ass.”

“We’ll annihilate Ganon together!” Mipha joins the hug, and before long, Daruk has too. Thankfully, Link and Revali are on the outside of it.

“So much for not wasting time, I suppose.” Revali says, loud enough for only Link to hear. He doesn’t mean it, though. He has a weird feeling in his gut and figures, _Screw it_. “If you were so _desperate_ for a hug, you could’ve picked a better time—”

Link turns bright red and looks away, incredibly embarrassed.

“Don’t you think a better time is when we’ve killed Ganon?” Revali turns to fly away before he can face the embarrassing consequences of his words. Giving one last glance behind him, he sees Link running down the road with Zelda and the rest of the Champions splitting into their different routes.

It’s going to be a tough fight, but they’re more than capable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i drop this here and i fuckin ZOOM away now we are getting into it, folx


	28. ???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for violence, violent thoughts death, blood mention
> 
> this is sort of a darker chapter but those are the vibes we are rolling with gamers, please enjoy and i promise this has a happy ending

Ten thousand years of waiting all culminate to this moment; finally broken free from the insufferable prison. Nothing for an eternity, until freedom. Hated left to fester and bubble intensely, boiling over into the powerful beast it has become. Calamity Ganon. _A fitting title._ It is proud of itself.

It has a thousand eyes all over the continent. Pathetic souls cower, swords and shields in hand, from its lasers of red and blue. It wants to find them, _needs_ to find them. Hylia’s descendant. Her precious little knight. These foolish _Champions_ they’ve appointed, unknowing how useless they would be in this moment. Their end. Sick laughter echoes through the hivemind that is the Calamity. Its malice fills the circuitry of the Guardians and controls their robotic limbs and laser sights.

The Calamity feels comfortable here amongst the volcanic rock. The heat fuels its essence, preparing it for the battle ahead. A sickening crack sounds out through the inner chamber of Vah Rudania as a stone crusher slams down on the Blight’s head, smashing it against the ancient stone floor. The Goron wielding the weapon only lives so long because of his protection power. A noisy creature. His power become the Blight’s, adding to its ever-growing strengths.

Thunder Blight views the familiar sands of the desert, spanning the entire area. A Gerudo woman stands before it, sword and shield in hand. Green electricity sparks across her form. Stronger waves of hatred flow through it at the memory of the Gerudo. How they have thrived without its leadership. She puts up a surprising fight, but it is futile in the end. The Calamity’s Blight sucks the life out of her and takes control of Vah Nabooris. Her sword and shield become _its_ sword and shield. Her power is its power now and for forever.

A Zora woman stands defiantly within the pool in the Beast’s central chamber. The being of Malice sees the slight shake of her hands. She is correct to be afraid. In a flash, she plunges a trident into its malleable form, and it roars at the pain, lashing out at knocking her against the central terminal. It relentlessly attacks the Zora, not stopping until it absorbs her energy and seeps into the core of the Divine Beast. _Where are you, little Hero?_

The Calamity flies through the sky like a swarm of angry wasps, ready to destroy anything that stands in its way. A stubborn Rito lets loose three arrows that all hit their mark. It dissipates its form into something less corporeal. Unable to be struck, defeated. The same cannot be said for this so-called Rito soldier. He puts up a fair fight, but not strong enough. Nothing will be strong enough to end the Calamity’s reign. Vah Medoh falls under its control, the fourth of the Divine Beasts and Champion now part of the Calamity’s being.

There. _Finally, I have found you._ Dozens of images of the Hero and his princess flash across the eyes of the Guardians surrounding the duo. Oh, how good it feels to see the Hero on his knees, destroyed and dying. His unconventional blue garb is burned and tattered, matching the injuries on his body. One of the many Guardians home in its laser on the Hylians and prepares to fire. A battle that persisted throughout the ages is finally coming to an end. The princess holds up her hand in defense of her fading Hero, and a brilliant yellow light fills its vision before it loses control of every piece of ancient technology in the area.

The Calamity destroys everything in its path, trying to find the princess once more. Every time it spots her, gets closer, she defeats it easily. Rage flows through Ganon and it roars as it flies around the castle. She’s getting closer, and it will destroy her once and for all.

Hylia’s descendant approaches in the tatters of her burnt dress, once a pure white but now stained with dirt and blood. Ganon roars and makes its way right to her, knocking over towers and through the walls of the castle. As it opens its jaws to end her, the same brilliant yellow light erupts from her form and burns Ganon from the inside. It feels its power fade just as quickly as it was gained upon its release from thousands of years of slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just like the idea of the calamity ganon being like a hivemind


	29. Link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link wakes up.

“..nk… Link… _Link_.” A soft voice calls out from within Link’s head. _Is that my name? It must be._ “Open your eyes.”

With no other options, Link does so, only to be greeted with a blinding white-blue light. He moves to sit up and finds himself partially submerged in a rapidly draining stone basin. His body is littered in scars, visible due on his scarcely clothed body. He traces his fingers over the strange scars on his chest, unlike the other ones that appear to be from battle.

Link climbs out of the basin and surprisingly finds that he isn’t drenched despite the water he had been sitting in. His bare feet make no noise as he walks slowly over to the glowing pedestal, the only other object in the room.

“That is a Sheikah Slate. Take it.” Link tilts his head and squints his eyes at the rectangular object set in the pedestal. He gingerly pulls it out of its resting place and holds it up to inspect it. It glows and beeps at his touch and he nearly drops it in surprise when the door in front of him slides open. Dirt, dust, and cobwebs litter the room he enters next. But, more interesting, is the single stone chest sitting directly in his path. The stone is chipped and worn and rough under Link’s touch. Wait. No, the stone isn’t rough. His hands are covered in callouses, marks of a life he doesn’t remember living.

Within the chest lays a set of old clothes, which he puts on without hesitation. They’re not the most comfortable, but they seem easy to move in and are just his size. Better than nothing. The glow of the Sheikah Slate shines on something else at the bottom under where the clothes were. A necklace. A few colorful beads and a dark blue feather strung on a braided leather strip. Link inspects the rest of the chest, hoping for a note or something. But when he doesn’t find one, he slips on the necklace and puts it under his shirt. It feels natural.

Link keeps walking. There doesn’t seem to be any other way out of here, so forward it is. Another pedestal next to a door, looking identical to the last. He runs his fingers over its surface, looking for something to interact with. Instead, the mysterious voice calls out to him again. “Hold the Sheikah Slate up to the pedestal. That will show you the way.”

And what other option does he have? The door opens, letting in the sun’s light; it’s a stark contrast from the darkness of the strange chamber he’s in. Link shields his eyes as he approaches the entrance, and gasps when he sees the world before him. He could spend an eternity here, just staring.

But he knows he wants to _go_ , not just look. Just off the path leading down and away from his waking place sits a small tree branch. Link goes to take it, but on it sits a little lizard. He can’t help but smile as its tongue darts out and it looks up at him. He holds out his hand for the little guy, waiting patiently and calmly. Instead, it runs off into the tall grass. Link watches as it disappears, then grabs the stick. You never know when you might need a stick.

He stands up with a spring in his step, excited by what the world has to offer. He stops in his tracks almost immediately after spotting the figure sitting by a fire just a ways up the overgrown path. Link decides to loops the stick through his belt. It’s a good stick.

The old man gives Link a bad feeling. He doesn’t seem malicious, just… something familiar he doesn’t trust. The voice calls out once more, and Link glances at the old man to see if he hears it too. He doesn’t. He doesn’t know if he feels special because of this, or afraid.

As he walks to the point the voice told him to he passes overgrown ruins; different from the structure he woke from. Under a large cluster of rocks is another pedestal very much like the ones he woke near. He knows the drill at this point, and lays the Sheikah Slate on its surface. It glows blue for a moment as it rests in its slot.

“Please watch for falling rocks,” a voice from the pedestal says. Different from the voice calling out in his head. _What if I’m just imagining that one, then?_

He doesn’t get much time to think about it, though, because the ground underneath him starts raising into the sky. Terrifying, sure, but something about the height feels thrilling and comforting. His heart races and a goofy smile stretches across his face as the tower soars into the sky with him aboard. He walks up to the edge of the tower to investigate the wonder – _how did this fit underground?! –_ but to his horror, he sees a dark cloud-like beast fly around the castle in the distance. A light shines from its center as the voice speaks again, “Try… Try to remember. You have been asleep for the past 100 years. When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end. You must hurry, Link. Before it’s too late.”

 _100 years. Wow._ The first step, literally, is to get off this tower. _Can’t save the world from up here. Even if it is beautiful._

When he touches solid earth once more, the old man calls out to him and offers his paraglider for some treasure that resides in a nearby shrine. The idea of a treasure hunt is admittedly incredibly exciting, so it’s not the worst thing Link can think of doing to get off this plateau.

The treasure isn’t, however, what he was expecting. An old monk grants him a mysterious orb and immediately disintegrates. He’s teleported out of the shrine in a blue haze, which is an odd feeling to say the least.

The fate of the world quickly leaves his mind as he wanders through the Great Plateau. Strange, pig-like monsters try to attack him at every turn. Unfortunately for them, he possesses combat skills he doesn’t remember earning. But they come naturally to him. He dodges their bats and clubs and arrows and spears, watching as they turn into black purple clouds of dust like the beast in the distance. A strange mechanical creature tries to shoot him with a red and blue light and he hides behind the rubble of the ruins. It looks like the towers and the shrines and the Sheikah Slate and he doesn’t understand _why_ it’s trying to attack him. He steels himself and bursts out from his cover, shield in hand. Its own laser destroys it, exploding into a pile of old parts, which Link picks up and saves. They seem valuable though he doesn’t know what he’d ever use them for.

His favorite thing is finding little mushrooms and plants to cook with. The tools available to him are lacking; that doesn’t stop him from spending the night in the old man’s cabin after cooking a few meals. A few spicy peppers in the dish seem to be what the old man was looking for, and he gives him a warm jacket to brave the colder climates on the upper mountains of the plateau. It doesn’t offer much protection, but wearing it gives him some comfort. Cooking gives him a deeper comfort. The Sheikah Slate seems to be capable of storing items, though Link has no idea how. Each item he holds up to it disappears in a blue light, logged in one of the technology’s screens and menus. He scans a hot meal and summons it from the slate, testing its capabilities. To his amazement, the meal doesn’t seem to be affected by being stored. He does this a few times, shaking the Sheikah Slate on one of his tests, trying to see if the food is rattled. When his sautéed mushrooms come out unscathed, he decides he can trust the food he saves.

By the second shrine, Link knows that the old man has hidden intentions. Link isn’t going to give up the Sheikah Slate, and the orbs seem magically connected to him. Between the knowledge of the mysterious voice and a deeper hatred for the beast that swarms the castle… There’s something bigger going on. He doesn’t have the capability to find out on his own, so he has to trust the old man.

The mystery of it all certainly doesn’t stop him from putting his new powers to their fullest use. When the old man tells him to meet at the ruins of the Temple of Time, he decides to launch himself onto the roof using an old fallen tree. He hears his own laughter over the rushing wind as he flies through the air. It’s a _bit_ of a harsh landing and he rolls on the weak roof a few times before managing to reorient himself. A couple of scrapes and bruises are worth the fun, he decides. The log hits the ground with a thundering crash and Link leans over the ledge with a look of wonder as it continues bouncing down the hill the temple rests on. It nearly hits a Bokoblin who runs away in fear. It gives him an idea for dealing with future monster camps.

\--

Link feels vindicated when the old man reveals his identity, but guilty for mistrusting him. His daughter is the voice he hears. He’s supposed to know her and he _doesn’t_. What if he’s not the same person? What if his century long slumber changed who he was? The king certainly seemed surprised when Link arrived, disheveled and having fun. Link pretends not to notice the change in respectful enthusiasm, replaced by a hesitant judging. Well, if he’s going to save the world, he’s going to have a good time doing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been very excited to get to this point but i'm also running out of chapters i have written already :,O we out here applying for jobs and making comics


	30. Impa

Almost 100 years to the day, a great rumbling passes through the land. For a moment, Impa thinks this is it; the Calamity has awakened once more. However, the shrine on the hill above the village glows an unfamiliar orange and she knows instead that the Hero has woken.

She waits patiently for the next few days; Link will come eventually. And he does. Though they both do not quite recognize each other. Link because he’s lost his memories, but Impa because the man before her is acting different than she’s ever seen him. Expressive, energetic, and surprisingly, quite talkative.

“Is everyone as long-lived as the Sheikah?” Link asks, voice still scratchy after his long slumber.

“Are you implying that I am old, young man?” Impa leans forward from her seat, mouth agape in faux surprise.

Link’s eyes widen and he starts to apologize, tugging at the edges of his tattered shirt, “Oh, I mean—I’m sure you’re very young for your age—You _are_ very young I mean, I, um—"

A smile spreads across Impa’s face and she laughs, thoroughly amused, “I’m pulling your leg, Link! Don’t fuss so much.”

“I’ve been awake for _maybe_ a week and you’re teasing me!” Link is red with embarrassment, but he laughs too.

“This is nothing compared to Purah – remember when she used to pinch Zelda’s cheeks every time she saw her?” Impa smiles but stops herself when she sees the guilty look on Link’s face. Of course he doesn’t remember. “I’m sorry, I simply got caught up in the moment.”

“Maybe I’ll remember. Someday.” He scratches his chin, uncomfortably shifting his weight.

“It will come, in time. Patience is key.” Her voice softens. He reminds her of Zelda, youthful and happier in a time long gone.

“Well, if I can sleep for 100 years, I guess I can wait a while to see if I remember something.” He smiles genuinely and fiddles with the Sheikah Slate at his hip. “I think I’ll stay here a few days – there are some shrines nearby…”

And with that, he says his goodbye and heads back out into the light of the rising sun. Just as the door closes behind him, he takes a running jump before pulling out a paraglider. It’s like he’s having the time of his life despite the looming apocalypse. Still, he is goodhearted beyond a doubt even if his priorities seem to be relatively out of order.

In just the few days he spends in the village, he does a handful of little tasks and favors for the townsfolk. Not one person in the village has a lukewarm impression of the man, let alone a negative one. A positive energy resonates throughout the small valley, unlike one that’s been felt in years. Kakariko was never an unhappy village, but rather tranquil. Link’s arrival brings excitement, not just because he’s the long-awaited Hero.

Everyone is sad to see him depart. Impa most of all, but he has a duty to fulfill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i havent had time to write lately but :^) tiny update, hopefully more soon!


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